BUTLER TWP - Fox Chapel coach John Broderick knows his team will scratch and claw for whatever it can.

That style of play was on display against Butler as the two schools kicked off section baseball play Friday at Highfield Park.

The Foxes scored their first two runs of the game without a hit, then erupted for four runs in the fourth inning en route to a 6-3 victory over the Tornado.

"We're going to manufacture runs all year," said Broderick, whose starting lineup had seven sophomores.

"Every once in a while, you'll have that big inning. In this section, you'll take what's out there. We'll bunt runners, steal, hit-and-run, whatever," he added.

Trailing 6-1, Butler plated two runs in the seventh and sent the tying run to the plate, but Foxes pitcher Brett Horowitz fanned Anthony Slater to end the game.

"We waited until the last minute," said Butler coach Ron Zawrotuk. "It was the same thing against Shaler (Wednesday).

"We came back, which is good, but the double plays killed us. Fox Chapel kept us off stride," Zawrotuk added.

Errors also hurt Butler as the Foxes capitalized on three early miscues that allowed them to take a 2-0 lead.

In the first inning, an error allowed Fox Chapel's Johnny Hastings to reach first base with one out. On a stolen base attempt, catcher Clayton Smith's throw sailed into center field, allowing Hastings to move to third. A fielder's choice then drove him home.

In the third, a hit batsman, a sacrifice bunt and an error on a fly ball gave Fox Chapel another run.

Butler had a chance in the third inning to pull close when, with two outs, Adam Miller walked and Andy Onufrak singled. Both runners advanced a base when right fielder Harley Miller let the ball skip past him.

With runners at second and third, Butler Jim McCaslin smashed a line drive, but was caught by third baseman Joe Noro.

Butler starter Kevin Krause allowed just one hit through the first three innings, but the Foxes broke through with six hits in the fourth inning.

A Noro single, a sacrifice bunt single by Adam Petrovich and an RBI double by Chris Murphy opened the inning.

Krause almost pitched out of the jam when he caught Harley Miller's line drive and struck out Eric Stumpf, but Kevin Killian, Nathan Planksky and Hastings had consecutive RBI singles to chase Krause.

Butler pitcher Brian Bell entered the game and induced Horowitz to ground out.

The Tornado got one run back in the fifth when they loaded the bases with no one out before Adam Miller grounded into a double play that allowed Anthony Pinto to score.

With Aaron Ordy at third, Onufrak grounded out to end the inning.

Butler mounted one last attack in the seventh inning when Pinto singled and Ordy reached on an error on a fielder's choice.

After pinch-hitter Rob Cochran and Adam Miller struck out, Onufrak belted a two-run triple over right-fielder Harley Miller's head to make it 6-3.

McCaslin was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners with two outs, but Slater went down swinging to end the game.

Zawrotuk likes how his team has battled despite dropping to 0-6 overall. The Tornado trailed Shaler 7-0 before scoring six runs in the sixth inning, which proved to be the final scoring of the game.

They fell behind 6-0 on Friday and put themselves in a position to pull even, but came up short again.

"I think we're building on that," said Zawrotuk. "The kids can say, 'Hey, we can win this game.' You have to have confidence in that."

Fox Chapel 101 400 0 - 6 9 4

Butler 000 010 2 - 3 6 4

WP:

Brett Horowitz (7 IP) 8 strikeouts, 1 walk.

LP:

Kevin Krause (3

IP) 2 strikeouts, 0 walks

Fox Chapel (4-1, 1-0):

Nathan Planksky 1B, RBI; Johnny Hastings 1B, 2B, SB, RBI; Adam Petrovich 2-1B; Chris Murphy 1B, 2B, RBI, Kevin Killian 1B, RBI, Joe Noro 1B

Butler (0-6, 0-1):

Adam Miller 1B, SB; Andy Onufrak 1B, 3B, 2 RBI; Anthony Pinto 1B; Aaron Ordy 1B; Clayton Smith 1B

Wednesday:

Butler at North Allegheny