BUTLER TWP — The Pittsburgh Power’s loss was the Erie Outlaws’ gain.

Had Pittsburgh’s Arena League franchise qualified for the playoffs, it was primed to offer all-purpose skilled player Maurice Williams a contract.

While the Power didn’t make the playoffs, Williams showed why he deserves a contract offer Saturday night at Art Bernardi Stadium.

The former Pitt and Edinboro running back had 262 all-purpose yards and scored all four touchdowns in the Outlaws’ 27-25 win over the Butler County Bears. The game was a showdown for first place in the Grid Iron Football Alliance.

“Undoubtedly, he’s the best player in the league,” Bears coach Kirk Bergbigler said. “He deserves a shot at the next level.”

Williams teamed with former Mercyhurst College running back Austin Smith to inflict most of the damage on the Bears. Smith had 27 carries for 201 yards, but fumbled repeatedly. The Outlaws (6-1) lost six of 11 fumbles in the contest, including two inside the Butler County 10-yard line in the first half.

Erie was also whistled for 151 yards in penalties.

“We have our issues like everybody else,” Erie coach Mark Pilling said. “Austin ran for 264 yards and three touchdowns last week. Tonight, he couldn’t hang on to the ball. But these guys play together and believe in each other. We were able to overcome all of that.

“Kirk and I are trying to take the semi out of semi-pro. It will take some time, but, yeah ... We’ll see each other in the championship game.”

The Bears (5-2) trailed only 13-0 at halftime despite a miserable first half. Butler County had minus-14 yards in offense over the first two quarters and did not get a first down until its final possession of the half.

Williams returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and had a would-be 51-yard punt return for a TD nullified by a penalty. Williams also caught a 29-yard TD pass in the first half and scored on runs of 37 and 42 yards in the third quarter.

“I told our guys (at halftime) we were still in this game and had to come out fighting,” Bergbigler said. “We were having problems at a tackle spot on the offensive line, made an adjustment and it worked out for us.”

The Bears generated 171 yards and nine first downs offensively in the second half. Bill McCaslin’s 35-yard interception return got the team on the scoreboard. A 31-yard pass interference penalty — placing the ball at the 1-yard line — set up Justin Sanderson’s 1-yard plunge later in the third quarter.

Still, the Bears trailed 27-13 entering the final period.

The Outlaws lost three fumbles in the fourth quarter to keep Butler County in the game. Erik Fuhrer launched a 44-yard TD strike to Antawane Davis and a 57-yard bomb to Stephon Conto set up another 1-yard Sanderson scoring run.

Suddenly, Butler County trailed 27-25 with 4:24 remaining. Erie’s final lost fumble gave the Bears the ball at their own 35-yard line with 1:57 remaining. But Fuhrer was intercepted by Harrison Jones on the next play, Jones returning the theft 30 yards inside the Bears’ 20 to seal the victory.

Poor snaps on three PAT attempts and on a 40-yard field goal try cost the Bears critical points in the second half.

“That had not been a problem for us,” Bergbigler said. “We had maybe two bad snaps on kicks all season. But it bit us tonight.”

Notes: Dale Nelson (two), Tyler Williams, Harry Burke and Josh Staley recovered fumbles for the Bears. ... Butler County is off this week and hosts Rochester at 7 p.m. Aug. 6. ... The Bears will likely finish in second place and host a playoff game in late August. Erie will host the championship game.

Erie 27, B.C. Bears 25Erie 7 6 14 0 — 27Butler County 0 0 13 12 — 25E BC14 First Downs 1339-316 Rushes-Yards 29-1020 Passing Yards 1471-11-1 Passes (Comp.-Att.-Int.) 4-15-3336 Total Yards 15711-6 Fumbles-Lost 3-013-151 Penalties-Yards 7-45

First QuarterE — Maurice Williams 87 punt return (Tim Campbell kick), 11:54

Second QuarterE — Williams 20 pass from James Fuller (kick blocked), 9:16

Third QuarterBC — Bill McCaslin 35 interception return (Jason Majocha kick), 6:46E — Williams 37 run (Campbell kick), 6:22BC — Justin Sanderson 1 run (kick blocked), 3:50E — Williams 42 run (Campbell kick), 2:23

Fourth QuarterBC — Antawane Davis 44 pass from Erik Fuhrer (pass failed), 8:22BC — Sanderson 1 run (pass failed), 4:24

Individual StatisticsPassing: Erie, James Fuller 1-11-20-1. Butler County, Erik Fuhrer 4-15-147-3.

Rushing: Erie, Austin Smith 27-201, Frank Vicari 5-14, James Fuller 2-1, Maurice Williams 5-110. Butler County, Anthony Rodrigues 7-(-17), Cody Williams 3-(-1), Justin Sanderson 11-45, James Shope 4-(-8), Stephon Conto 2-4, Team 2-(-13), Eugene Clark 2-0.

Receiving: Erie, Maurice Williams 1-20. Butler County, Randall Palakovich 1-16, Anthony Rodrigues 1-30, Antawane Davis 1-44, Stephon Conto 1-57.