How Butler Iron Bucks defended North American Baseball Alliance title thanks to hot start at dish
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The Butler Iron Bucks won back-to-back North American Baseball Alliance titles, beating the 3B Barons on Monday, July 22, 2024, at Pullman Park. Derek Pyda/Butler Eagle
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Jack Lutte, catcher for the Butler Iron Bucks, hits a line drive against the 3B Barons in the North American Baseball Alliance title game Monday, July 22, 2024, at Pullman Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Butler Eagle
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Butler Iron Bucks Mac Schnur fires a pitch against the 3B Barons in the North American Baseball Alliance title game Monday, July 22, 2024, at Pullman Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Butler Eagle
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Butler Iron Bucks pitcher Mac Schnur tosses the ball to first base for the out in the North American Baseball Alliance title game Monday, July 22, 2024, at Pullman Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Butler Eagle
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Butler Iron Bucks starting pitcher Mac Schnur held the 3B Barons in check in the North American Baseball Alliance title game Monday, July 22, 2024, at Pullman Park. Holly Mead/Special to the Butler Eagle
Fast starts had eluded the Butler Iron Bucks for much of the season, but not with everything on the line Monday night.
In the North American Baseball Alliance championship game against the 3B Barons, the Bucks plated six runs over the first three innings, paving the way to a 10-3 victory at Pullman Park.
It is Butler’s second straight championship.
“Until lately, we were playing from behind for a lot of the season,” said Bucks first baseman Colin Patterson, who cleared the bases with a three-run double in the bottom of the second inning. “Our coach (Len Piccini) talked to us about getting the bats going early.”
While Butler’s scoring began in modest fashion — Will Gubba’s groundout scoring Brady Gavula to break the ice in the first — nine of the 10 batters in the team’s lineup ended up with at least one hit in the game.
Pitchers Brady Hansen and Luke McCoy had rough outings facing Butler’s lineup. They combined to allow nine runs on eight hits in a combined six innings, though a pair of errors in the third did not help.
“We believed we had a chance until the end,” Barons coach Eric Francis said. “Coming back would have made for a great story and we wanted to write it, but it’s really difficult when you fall behind early like we did.”
Keeping the Barons (17-10) off the scoreboard through the first five innings was Mac Schnur. He did not allow a hit in that span and induced a lot of weak pop flies and fly balls.
“When your swing starts dipping, it’s easy to start putting the ball in the air like that,” Francis said. “He was throwing strikes and that’s the most important thing for any pitcher.”
Trailing 8-0, the Barons finally broke through in the sixth when the first four batters of the inning reached base. Mike Gunn drilled a run-scoring triple, and Caelan Bender followed with a run-scoring double. Schnur got the first out of the frame before being relieved by Owen Mitchell, who allowed an RBI-base hit to Chase Tomko. The run was charged to Schnur, but he earned the win.
“He’s a middle-inning relief pitcher in college (Fairmont State),” Piccini said. “One of his goals coming into the season was to stretch out a bit to see if he can become a starting pitcher next spring. I believe he accomplished that. He ended up being one of our two most consistent pitchers (along with David Leslie).”
Mitchell doused any hopes of a rally for the Barons, surrendering no runs on just one hit over the last three innings.
Gubba joined Patterson in driving home three runs for the Bucks (18-8-1).
Patterson was not on the Bucks’ roster last summer.
“It feels great to be part of a championship,” he said. “Getting to know these guys, the players and coaches, they’re top-notch people.”
Piccini guided the Bucks in 2023, as well.
“Whether it’s the college season, summer or fall, every season has a purpose,” he said. “These guys needed to come in, find chemistry with their teammates and enjoy themselves.”
3B Barons 000 003 000 — 3 5 3
Iron Bucks 132 021 01x — 10 10 2
W: Mac Schnur 5.1 IP (1K, 6BB). L: Brady Hansen 2+ IP (2K, 2BB). S: Owen Mitchell 3.2 IP (1K, 1BB).
3B Barons (17-10): Caelan Bender 2B R RBI, Chase Tomko 1B RBI, Ethan Bintrim 1B R, Mike Gunn 3B R RBI
Iron Bucks (18-8-1): Brady Gavula 1B 3R, Will Gubba 1B 3RBI, Jack Lutte 2B, Cooper Baxter 2-1B R, Dustin Strom 1B 2R RBI, Tristan Holland 1B R, Colin Patterson 2B 3RBI, Lance Slater 1B RBI, Mason Fixx 1B R
