Pete Slavonic needed two outs. The Butler BlueSox gave away plenty.

The result was a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Chillicothe in Prospect League baseball play Thursday night at Pullman Park.

Slavonic, a 6-foot-4 right-hander from Southern Illinois University, was working on a five-hit shutout with one out in the ninth inning, but did not retire another batter.

“It’s a shame. He pitched great ... threw strikes and kept the ball down,” BlueSox manager Anthony Rebyanski said. “Pete did everything he was supposed to do.

“We didn’t do the things we were supposed to do to help him offensively.”

Consecutive singles by David Turnbull and Steve Anderson with one out in the ninth ended Slavonic’s night. When left fielder Chris Rasky misplayed Anderson’s single, both runners moved up a base.

Rebyanski went to closer Brian Thompson, who intentionally walked pinch-hitter Drew Dosch to load the bases. It was the only walk issued by either team all night.

Ian Nielsen then drilled a two-run double down the left field line to give the visiting Paints the lead.

“Both of these pitchers were outstanding,” Chillicothe manager Brian Mannino said. “We were able to hang in and hang in until we finally scratched out a couple of runs.

“Both guys threw strikes and mixed speeds well. That’s why this was a quick, low scoring game.”

Slavonic threw 104 pitches, 70 for strikes. Chillicothe left-hander Keenan White threw 102 pitches — 70 for strikes — in eight innings. The game was played in two hours.

The Paints called on side-arming right-hander David Fathalikani of Ohio State to work the ninth inning.

“Our closer was just shut down for the summer with tendinitis,” Mannino said. “David gets a lot of ground balls and we felt he was the guy to go to in the situation tonight.”

The BlueSox threatened in the bottom of the ninth, but failed to score. Shayne Houck started the inning with a single to right. Freeport graduate Ryan Siegel ran for him and scampered to second on an errant pickoff attempt.

Siegel tried to reach third on the play, but was thrown out easily.

Rasky walked and Stephen Vranka singled to left. With runners on first and second, Butler graduate Evan Oswald grounded sharply to third. Third baseman Brad Clement snagged the ball, stepped on third and fired to first to end the game.

Oswald hit into three double plays on the night. He lined to shortstop Justin Trent with two on in the fourth, Trent doubling Vranka off first. Oswald flew out to right field with Vranka trying to steal second on the pitch in the seventh. Vranka lost track of the ball and was doubled off.

“We made too many outs on the bases and that falls on the base coaches,” Rebyanski said. “I take the blame for (Siegel) getting thrown out at third. I should have stopped him at second, but I wanted to be aggressive.

“The same thing happened when we tagged up from third. I should have kept our runner there, but, again, I wanted us to be aggressive. I cost us. I take the responsibility for that.”

Taylor Juran and Butler graduate John Crummy had started the BlueSox fifth inning with singles. Bret Basilone bunted the runners up and Matt Berezo lofted a fly ball to shallow center.

Berezo tagged up and was easily thrown out at the plate.

“You want to force them to make a play, make a perfect throw — and they did,” Rebyanski said.

Anderson had three hits in four at bats for the Paints. He entered the game hitting .390, trailing Houck by five points in the league batting race. Houck doubled and singled.

Houck’s bloop double to left with two outs in the first inning was followed by a Rasky double down the right field line, accounting for Butler’s only run.

Chillicothe 000 000 002 — 2 8 2Butler 100 000 000 — 1 7 1W: Keenan White 8 IP (3K, 0BB).

L: Pete Slavonic 8.1 IP (3K, 0BB).

Chillicothe (9-11): Andrew Ciennik 1B, David Turnbull 1B, Steve Anderson 2B 2-1B, Ian Nielsen 2-2B 2-RBI, Bobby Donato 1B

Butler (9-11): Shayne Houck 2B 1B, Chris Rasky 2B 1B RBI, Stephen Vranka 2-1B, Taylor Juran 1B, John Crummy 1B

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