BUTLER TWP — Rob Fester and Curt Schnur are a lot alike.

Both anchor their respective pitching staffs. Both throw strikes. Both are Eagle County League veterans.

And both likely will decide who wins that league's championship tonight.

Saxonburg's Schnur outdueled Mars' Fester for a 4-2 victory Saturday night at Highfield Park, setting up a fifth and deciding game in the league championship series at 6 tonight in Callery. Saxonburg is looking for its fourth consecutive league crown.

"This is just a classic rivalry,"Saxonburg manager Dan Cunningham said. "Both teams have a lot of respect for each other. Since I began managing Saxonburg 12 years ago and Rob Fester and Mike Sheehy moved over from Callery to Mars, our teams have been going at it tooth and nail.

"It's fun. It's great baseball."

Schnur pitched on less than 48 hours rest Saturday and threw 97 pitches, 67 for strikes. Fester pitched on less than three days' rest and threw 100 pitches, 67 for strikes.

Though Cunningham listed Derek Blyzwick, Scott Rice, Brendan Malone and Shauan Butler as possible Saxonburg hurlers Monday, Fester has other ideas.

"I'm going to pitch for us and Curt's gonna pitch for them,"Fester said. "We know that and they know that."

When asked if he'd be available to pitch Monday, Schnur said:"If Robby's gonna throw, I'm gonna throw."

Both threw just fine Saturday. Only Saxonburg scratched out runs and Mars did not.

Fester walked two and hit a batter. All three of those runners scored. The lone walk allowed by Schnur occurred in the third inning, when an infield error and an infield single loaded the bases with two outs. But Matt Colella flied to right to end the inning.

Paul Westwood and Sheehy greeted Schnur with singles to begin the Mars fourth. Fester grounded into a double play as Schnur escaped with only one run allowed.

Ron Talik, Ryan Salazar and Matt Nowacyznski all singled against Schnur in the fifth, but the Saxonburg right-hander again escaped with only one run allowed.

"You have to maximize opportunities against any pitcher,"Fester said. "We didn't do that today and it came back to bite us."

Saxonburg scored twice in the third without getting a hit. Sandy Sanderson and Aaron Ordy drew one-out walks. Schnur grounded to shortstop and the ball was thrown away, plating Sanderson. Ordy scored when Justin Demek hit into a force play.

With the game tied at 2, Saxonburg decided the issue with a pair of two-out RBI singles. Sanderson was hit by a pitch to lead off the fifth. Demek singled with two outs and Austin Leffler grounded a single up the middle for what proved to be the game-winning hit.

Matt McCune reached on a bunt single with one out in the sixth. Brendan Malone singled to right, and, after Sanderson struck out, Ordy delivered a run-scoring single to center.

"This was another well-played game,"Cunningham said. "We had to scratch out what we could. They were trying to close it out with Rob on the mound. I had to counter with my best.

"Those two runs without a hit in the third — that proved paramount to what we were able to do tonight."

Schnur said he had no problem pitching on two days' rest. He got through the fourth, fifth and sixth innings on 11, 10 and 11 pitches.

"I don't worry about my strikeout total anymore. I've been pitching far too long to care about that stuff,"Schnur said. "If I can get guys to swing at the first pitch, I'll take it."

He'll likely take the mound tonight as well.

"I'm never going to turn the ball away if it's offered to me,"Schnur said.

Eagle County League Championship Game 4Mars 000 110 0—2 8 2Saxonburg 002 011 x—4 9 1Rob Fester (L, 4k, 2bb) and Dan DeMarco; Curt Schnur (W, 4k, 1bb) and Justin Demek.

Mars (29-5): Matt Nowacyznski 1BRBI, Mike Bruno 1B, Paul Westwood 1B, Mike Sheehy 1B, Rob Fester 1B, Dan DeMarco 2B, Ron Talik 1B, Ryan Salazar 1B

Saxonburg (25-9): Brendan Malone 1B, Sandy Sanderson 1B 2-R, Aaron Ordy 2-1BRBI, Justin Demek 1BRBI, Austin Leffler 1BRBI, Steve Hall 1B, Matt McCune 3B 1B

Today: Game 5, Saxonburg vs. Mars at Callery, 6 p.m.