Butler Township continues BCABL winning surge
BUTLER TWP — As the BCABL’s defending champion, Seneca Valley knows all about the benefits of late-season impetus.
Only they’re not the ones enjoying such a luxury this time around.
With a 5-4 come-from-behind victory Monday night, host Butler Township extended its run of success — which has now reached six straight wins dating back to the first week of June.
Stuck in a three-run hole in the home half of the sixth inning, the first six Butler Township batters to approach the plate reached base, scoring four tallies before reliever Ryan Hepfl closed the door in the top seventh.
“Just timely hitting,” Butler Township (6-1) coach Tyler Friel said. “I think we had gone through a pretty decent stretch of that game where we were getting runners on, but we didn’t get that big clutch hit. And we were able to get a couple there in the sixth inning.
“You need timely hitting if you’re going to win a close baseball game.”
Ethan Trettel singled to lead matters off in that frame, Lance Slater followed suit, Mac Schnur reached on a throwing error, then Karter Wetzel and Kyle Yost slapped consecutive RBI doubles.
“Strong defense, smart base-running, good at bats — just that complete ball team,” Friel said, summing up his team’s strengths. “In the sixth inning, when they needed, we were able to put a runner (Trettel) in motion ... and get second and third, nobody out.
“To me, that’s all just good, fundamental baseball. Obviously, you’ve got to hit the baseball. That’s a big part of it, too, but whenever you’re able to do those small things, it really adds up.”
Seneca Valley (5-7) starter Patrick O’Toole pitched all six innings, allowing the home team just one run up to that point — that coming on a Slater double in Butler Township’s first turn to bat.
“I think Patrick O’Toole deserved a lot better,” Seneca Valley coach Matt Baic said. “It was the third time through the order and they caught up to him. They hit some big balls there. ... Playoffs will start next week, and I think we’ll see them again at some point. That’s a good team over there.”
Seneca Valley took the lead with an effective fourth inning. Lead-off man Calen Wilkerson worked a walk and came across on a one-out sacrifice fly by Colton Firster. Alex Mortier notched a single and Aidan Treu a walk. The former scored along with courtesy runner Randy Ramirez on Nick Carson’s two-out single.
Baic said that he tinkers his side’s lineup in an attempt to get different guys their cuts. That wasn’t the approach he took on Monday.
“I ran out the best guys we had,” Baic said. “I mean, they can all play.”
An experienced bunch, Butler Township has beaten Seneca Valley four times this regular season. They’ll very likely see each other not too far down the road.
“To me, these guys are very good at just taking it on a game-by-game basis, and I think that’s what you do at some point (this time of season),” Friel said. “They trust themselves. They trust each other, so I think as long as they have confidence in their ability and we can continue to do the things that we’ve done all season long, we’ll be alright.”
“They’re just fundamental players,” Baic said of his team’s opponent. “A couple of those guys run like racehorses. They’re fast. They’re going to be a formidable force.”
SENECA VALLEY 000 301 0 — 4 6 1
BUTLER TWP 100 004 x — 5 9 1
W: Ryan Hepfl 3IP (3K, 0BB). L: Patrick O’Toole 6IP (5K, 1BB).
Seneca Valley (5-7): Calen Wilkerson R, Alex Mortier 2B 1B 2R, Colton Firster 1B 2RBI, Randy Ramirez R, Nick Carson 1B 2RBI, Ben Blucher 1B, Keegan Baic 1B
Butler Twp (6-1): Ethan Trettel 2B 1B 2R, Lance Slater 2B 1B RBI R, Mac Schnur R, Karter Wetzel 2B RBI R, Kyle Yost 2B 1B RBI, Brady Lyon 2B, Jonah Bartholic 1B
Wednesday: Butler Township at Freeport
