Joe Hotalski was the winning pitcher Thursday evening over Cranberry Township as Freeport scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 7-3 triumph in the BCABL playoffs.

CRANBERRY TWP — Hitting the ball hard has not been the problem for Freeport's Austin Kepes during the current Butler County Area Baseball League season.

Getting hits is another story.

He picked a great time to turn that trend around, at least for one night.

The second baseman walked to the plate with the bases loaded, two outs and his team trailing Cranberry Township 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning of Thursday's winner's bracket semifinal at Graham Park.

Kepes drilled a fastball from reliever Nick Matthews to the fence in centerfield. The double brought home three runs and sparked a 7-3 victory.

“It feels good,” Kepes said. “I struggled earlier in the game.”

Freeport manager Joe Hotalski said Kepes has struggled at the plate for much of the season, but not for lack of effort.

“He's hit the ball so hard this year, but just wasn't finding the gaps,” he said.

Matthews ended up surrendering four more runs before getting out of the inning. Alec Asti's bloop single brought in two of them.

Starting pitcher Jon McCollough had blanked Freeport through the first five innings, striking out 12 with just two walks and two hits allowed.

“Jon also pitches (in the Youngstown Class B League),” said Cranberry manager Larry Stelitano. “His pitch-count was getting up there and I wasn't going to send him back out, especially with him pitching for another team.

“We could have played better defense behind him tonight. That would have kept his pitch-count down,” added Stelitano. “We had several options, but I trust Nick. Nobody feels worse about the way things turned out than he does.”

Joe Hotalski, the manager's son, started on the mound and went the distance for Freeport (13-1-1). He struck out four, walked one and allowed the three runs on seven hits.

Cranberry (10-5) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning. Clayton Blucher doubled in one run and McCollough's fielder's choice scored another.

Seve Balog doubled and scored Cranberry's final run in the seventh.

Freeport is the double-elimination tourney's top seed, but its home field is currently unavailable. That will also be the case Saturday when Freeport will face either Butler Township or Pine Richland in the winner's bracket final.

Cranberry Twp 000 002 1 — 3 7 3Freeport 000 007 x — 7 6 1W: Joe Hotalski 7IP (4K, 1BB). L: Nick Matthews 1IP (1K, 1BB).Cranberry Township (10-5): Clayton Blucher 2B RBI, Jon McCollough 1B 2B RBI, Seve Balog 2B RFreeport (13-1-1): Hotalski 2-1B, Austin Kepes 2B R 3-RBI, Alec Asti 2-1B 2-RBISaturday: Freeport vs. Butler Township/Pine Richland winner, time and site TBD; Center Township at Cranberry Township, 6 p.m.