Pullman Park has seen a lot of baseball since it first opened in 1934.

It probably hasn't witnessed many games like this.

There was a balk call that helped East Butler roll up nine runs in the top of the fifth inning, a two-run infield single and two RBI doubles from the same player in the same inning.

There were two steals of home, 41 at-bats without a strikeout by East Butler, an ice water bath and a spirited celebration between the pitcher's mound and first base.

Shwew. Welcome to the new Pullman Park.

It all added up to a 12-8 win by East Butler in the Butler County American Legion championship game Friday night.

The win gave East Butler the regular season and tournament championship — a feat that has become rare in the league.

"That's what I'm most proud of," said East Butler manager Carl Hays. "There's no doubt we are the best team in the league."

For the first four-plus innings, it looked like Butler City was going to force a three-game playoff.

Butler City (13-9) led 4-2 after four innings.East Butler had a runner on first with one out when Derek Hays squared to sacrifice bunt. He got the bunt down and was called out at first, but the base umpire called a balk on Butler City pitcher Dustin Hilgar.

Derek Hays promptly doubled in his second chance, starting a flurry of runs for East Butler.

When the onslaught was over, East Butler had scored nine runs on seven hits. RyanArmahizer drove in two of those runs on an infield single, DerekHays doubled in another run in his second at-bat of the inning and RyanGeibel had a three-run triple.

It turned a 4-2 deficit into an 11-4 lead.

"We hadn't been hitting very well lately," Carl Hays said. "Finally, in that inning, I saw the team I had seen all year."

Hilgar picked up the loss, surrendering 11 runs on eight hits in 2Z\c innings.

Geibel got the win for East Butler, but he was much more valuable with his bat, going 4-for-5 with four RBI.

"It felt so good to make contact," Geibel said. "I have been getting walked a lot and hit a lot, so it was nice to hit the ball hard again."

Butler City used three pitchers but recorded no strikeouts. Starter JeffSlater left the game after the fourth inning with a lead. Jose Cumba, who threw 122 pitches Wednesday and separated his nonthrowing shoulder Thursday, pitched the final two innings and didn't give up an earned run.

"We had a fantastic season," said Butler City coach Jerry Piroch. "We played more games than anyone else. We were the only team that played 16 games in the regular season. Everybody else got close to the end of the season and said, 'Heck with it. I'll forfeit a game so we don't have to use pitching.' I don't play that way."

Because of that, Piroch said there will be some reform in how the postseason plays out.

"We're going to begin (the playoffs) earlier," he said.

When the final out was recorded, East Butler players stormed the field in celebration. Carl Hays was then on the receiving end of a cold water bath at the hands of Bill Coleman.

East Butler will advance to the Region 8 tournament in St. Marys on a day and time to be determined.

East Butler 200 091 0—12 15 4Butler City 101 230 1— 8 8 2W: Ryan Geibel 7 IP (3 K, 2 BB).

L: Dustin Hilgar 2Z\c IP (0 K, 0 BB).

East Butler (17-3): Evan Oswald 1B, RBI; RyanArmahizer 1B; BillColeman 1B; Ryan Geibel 3-1B, 3B, 4-RBI; DerekHays 1B, 2-2B, 3-RBI; Dallas O'Donnell 1B; Brad Marra 2-1B, RBI; Adam Bresnahan 2-1B

Home team (13-9): Ken Rossenbauer 1B, RBI; BryanAnthony 2-RBI; Chris Codispot 3B; Jeff Slater 1B, RBI; Jim McKissick 1B; Clark Liebler 2-1B, RBI; Wes Henderson 1B, RBI