BUTLER TWP - Winning one-run games is becoming the personal domain of Saxonburg.

The Eagle County League team was at it again on an unusually crisp Friday evening in August, pushing the only run it needed to win across the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning for a 1-0 victory in Game 2 of the league's championship series at Highfield.

"I haven't been involved in too many games like this," said Saxonburg coach Dan Cunningham.

Saxonburg holds a 2-0 lead in the series and can wrap up its first league title since 1998 if it beats Freeport in Game 3 at 5 p.m. Saturday at Highfield.

Saxonburg has been in the title game the last four years and has lost each time.

"I think we've been here so many times without winning that people think the pressure is on us," said Saxonburg pitcher and first baseman Curt Schnur. "There's no pressure. We've just got to go out and have fun."

Things have been fun so far for Saxonburg, the No. 2 seed behind Freeport coming into the playoffs.

It won 4-3 on Thursday and eked out another win Friday, thanks to the stellar pitching of Neil Hoagland.

The right-hander needed just 66 pitches in six innings to take care of Freeport. Schnur, who pitched seven innings just a day before, came on in the seventh to get three groundouts to second to earn the save.

Schnur gave Saxonburg the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with a sharp single to left-center that scored Chase Rowe, who smacked his second double of the game two batters earlier.

The lone run and the loss ruined a strong outing by Freeport pitcher Tim Buzzard, who struck out eight and walked four in six innings.

Buzzard got out of a one-out, bases loaded jam in the first inning and another tight spot in the third inning as Saxonburg stranded runners at second and third

Saxonburg left seven runners on base.

Freeport, missing Don Dell and Jon Schott in the first two games, managed just four hits - all singles.

"We're missing our two top hitters, so it's tough," said Freeport player-manager Wayne Greiser. "We had one of our pitchers playing first base, so we had two pitchers in the lineup. Dan will probably be here (Saturday). Schott is still in Vegas. He won't be back until next week."

Freeport has been in a two-games-to-none hole before. The River Pirates battled back from that same deficit against Mars to earn a trip to the championship series.

Saxonburg is well aware of Freeport's comeback abilities.

"You can never count them out," Cunningham said. "It's tough to get out of a hole like that, but (Saturday's) not going to be an easy win."

Freeport had hoped it wouldn't have to face the same peril it did against Mars. But the River Pirates find themselves with their backs against the wall again.

"It helps a little bit knowing we did it before," Greiser said. "But in a championship series you really don't want to be in an 0-2 hole. That's for sure."

Freeport 000 000 0 - 0 4 0

Saxonburg 000 010 x - 1 4 1

WP:

Neil Hoagland (6 IP) 1 strikeout, 1 walk.

LP:

Tim Buzzard (6 IP) 8 strikeouts, 4 walks

Freeport:

Wayne Greiser 1B; Chris Shearer 2-1B, Greg Fryman 1B

Saxonburg:

Chase Rowe 2-2B; Curt Schnur 1B, RBI; Dan O'Brien 2B

Saturday:

Game 3 @ Highfield, 5 p.m.