SLIPPERY ROCK - Beep. Beep.

The Roadrunner had nothing on these guys. Neither did Wile E. Coyote.

Sunday's Butler County American Legion baseball all-star game saw 15 stolen bases as baserunners were ultra-aggressive.

Catchers and pitchers also had a rough day as the Acme-made anvil fell on them for the tune of eight wild pitches, six passed balls and 19 walks.

It all added up to an exciting 12-11 win by the National team over the American squad at Critchfield Park.

"The kids had a good time, and that's the bottom line," said Center Township manager and Nationals coach Kevin Shaffer. "Catchers were struggling out there."

They struggled in part because of the sweltering heat. It was 92 degrees at game time with oppressive humidity. They also struggled because of the unfamiliarity with the pitchers and their teammates.

Coaches were also liberal with the way they managed the game.

During the regular season, Shaffer has a complicated set of signs to his runners in the third-base coaches' box. Sunday, he dumbed down his signs considerably.

"It was kind of like backyard ball," Shaffer said. "I told them to go on anything. I use pretty complicated signs during the season, but today it was one hand up was bunt and two hands up was steal."

His hands were up a lot.

The Nationals stole eight bases and took an extra base at will. Dan Pickard scored from second on a strikeout and passed ball in the bottom of the first inning.

Despite that, the Nationals fell behind 8-1 after three innings before their aggressiveness on the base paths and their bats truly came alive with a six-run fifth inning.

The Nationals stole five bases in the fifth inning, scored two runs off American errors and once off a wild pitch to tie the game at 10.

The key for the Nationals, though, was the pitching of Center Township's Trevor Dunkel, who gave up just one run in two innings to keep the game within reach.

"He came in and held them down," Shaffer said. "That let us get back into the game."

Both teams used a slew of pitchers, too. Each team used six pitchers, mostly out of necessity.

That also inflated the walk totals.

"One of the reasons both teams used so many pitchers was because we have so many makeup games," Shaffer said. "And a lot of these pitchers are used to being in rhythm, they are rhythm pitchers and you really can't get into rhythm in one inning."

The game did have a dramatic conclusion.

With the score deadlocked at 11 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Ryan Banner of Center Township led off the frame with a triple.

American team manager Gene Zawrotuk then intentionally walked the next two hitters, brought his infield and outfield in and took his chances with Prospect's Sean Ray on the hill.

Ray got a strikeout, but then allowed a single to Meridian's Aaron Ordy that plated Banner for the winning run.

Banner did not play high school baseball.

"He's the epitome of what Legion baseball is all about," Shaffer said of Banner. "He didn't play for his high school team, but he played Legion and he is here because he is having a pretty good year. He won't play anywhere else, but he scored the winning run in an all-star game. He'll remember that for the rest of his life."

It will be an all-star game to remember for awhile, too.

"How many times do you see a game end with two intentional walks?" Shaffer said.

Zawrotuk had a little fun strategizing, too.

"It was fun for the kids," Zawrotuk said. "They were wondering why I was telling them to play so far in, but it was a fun situation for the kids. They all enjoyed it."

American 332 012 0 - 11 9 2

National 101 261 1 - 12 9 5

WP:

Dan Pickard (1 IP) 0 strikeouts, 2 walks.

LP:

Sean Ray (

IP) 0 strikeouts, 2 walks

American:

Darren Blakley 1B; Adam Fleming 2B, 2-RBI; Ryan Lynch 2B; Calvin Brooks 1B; Kolby Gregory 1B, 2B, RBI; David Steighner 2B, RBI; Brad Cottage RBI; Jordan Roycroft 1B; Adam Cousins 1B; Steve Scott RBI; Sean Ray RBI

National:

Pickard 1B; Jim McCaslin 1B, RBI; Phillip Waller 2-1B; Aaron Ordy 1B, RBI; Justin Demec RBI; Trevor Dunkel 1B, RBI; Jim McKissick 2-1B, RBI; Ryan Banner 3B