Mars was limited to two hits on Thursday afternoon at Pullman Park — but made them both count.

Austin Karemsky delivered a two-out RBI single in the sixth to give the Planets a 4-3 lead. Jacob Maple trumped that with a two-out game-winning hit to center in the bottom of the seventh, giving Mars a 6-5 baseball win over Butler.

“This is a valuable win for us right before section play,” Mars coach Jason Thompson said. “We hung in on a tough day when we weren’t hitting. You battle through games like this and winning it is a good feeling for everybody.”

The Planets (3-1) did not get a hit until two were out in the sixth inning. Mars scored three times in the second inning on two walks and a pair of Butler errors to take a 3-1 lead. The Golden Tornado tied the game on RBI singles by Boden Lenyk in the third and fifth innings.

Maple walked and stole second to begin the Mars sixth. Zach Rozman bunted him to third and Karemsky looped a two-out single to right to break up the n-hitter and give the Planets a 4-3 lead. Mars was the home team in the game.

Butler pitching walked nine and the Tornado (2-1) had three runners picked off on the day.

“We gave everything away today. Everything,” Butler coach Josh Forbes said. “You can’t win baseball games if you’re giving everything away.”

Yet, Butler almost did.

Alex Catalfano and Noah Kollinger started the Tornado seventh with singles to left. Nolan Stefaniak bunted the runners up. Lenyk grounded to shortstop, against a drawn-in infield. When the shortstop’s throw to the plate scooted under catcher Karemsky, both runners were able to score for a 6-5 Butler lead.

Kyle Casteel pitched five hitless innings for Butler, but walked five and threw 96 pitches. Lenyk replaced Casteel on the mound to begin the sixth.

With one out in the Mars seventh, Lenyk walked Luke Goodworth, Shane Klinefelter and Charlie Bickel to load the bases. His first pitch to Maple was a ball.

“I was going to swing the bat,” Maple said. “That guy was a slower pitcher, so I was able to lay back and wait. That was an opportunity to win the game.

“I got a low breaking ball and I was able to make solid contact.”

Maple hit a hard grounder up the middle, driving home two runs and ending the game.

“Jacob is one of our seniors and he saw an opportunity there,” Thompson said. “He knew it was his moment and he seized it.

“I have to give credit to their pitcher (Casteel). He went trough some tough things early in this game, but stayed focused, gathered himself and shut us down. I was impressed by that.”

Forbes said Casteel “didn’t quite have his command out there on a cold day, but he was effective. The nine walks we gave them ... That was the difference.”

Mars won despite committing five errors.

Both teams enter section play on Tuesday.

Butler 011 010 2 — 5 7 2

Mars 030 001 2 — 6 2 5

1 out when winning run scored

WP: Grady Speigle 2IP (3k, 0bb). LP: Boden Lenyk 1.1 IP (1k, 4bb).

Butler (2-1): Boden Lenyk 2-1B 3-RBI, Noah Collins 2B, Andrew Lucas 1B, Carson Bish RBI, Alex Catalfano 1B, Noah Kollinger 1B 2-R, Nolan Stefaniak 1B.

Mars (3-1): Jacob Maple 1B 2-RBI, Austin Karemsky 1B RBI.

Tuesday: Pine-Richland at Butler, West Allegheny at Mars