Butler baseball rallies vs North Hills on Nash Cuffman, Boden Lenyk clutch hits to stay unbeaten
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Butler's Owen Boring (7) slides safely into second base against North Hills in a baseball game Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Tanner Pry (25) brings the ball in as North Hills' Jake Jorgensen (6) gets back to first base safely in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Preston Richter (15) tries to out run North Hills' Tristan Weimann (24) back to first base in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Preston Richter (15) tries to out run North Hills' Tristan Weimann (24) back to first base in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Baden Lenyk (1) tags out North Hills' Jake Jurgensen (6) at second base in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Regan Peth (11) hits a single against North Hills in a baseball game Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Fans try to stay warm as Butler plays North Hills in a baseball game Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Nolan Stefaniak (14) delivers a pitch to North Hills in a baseball game Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Kyle Casteel (23) slides safely to third past North Hills' Mason Metz (2) in a baseball game Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Nolan Stefaniak (14) delivers a pitch to North Hills in a baseball game Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Nash Coffman (21) tries to make a catch against North Hills in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Owen Boring (7) cheers on his team against North Hills in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Preston Richter (15) slides under North Hills' Austin DeMartino (13) in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Maverick Clement (5) hits the ball against North Hills in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Trent Best (19) puts up number one after defeating North Hills in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler Pitching coach Matt Clement talks to his pitcher and catcher against North Hills in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School.(Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle)
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Butler's Kyle Casteel (23) celebrates a run with Boden Lenyk against North Hills in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Trent Best (19) sticks his tongue out to the bench after scoring a run against North Hills in a baseball game Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Trent Best (19) sticks his tongue out to the bench after scoring a run against North Hills in a baseball game Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Preston Richter (15) makes the catch on a pop up to center field to end the game against North Hills in a baseball game on Monday, March 31, 2025, at North Hills High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
SLIPPERY ROCK — A bloop, a blast ... and a whole lot of help.
It all added up to a come-from-behind 8-7 Butler baseball win over North Hills on Tuesday night at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park.
The Golden Tornado trailed 7-1 entering the bottom of the fourth inning. The Indians walked six batters in that frame, including three straight with the bases loaded. Nash Cuffman then blooped a three-run double to right to tie the game.
“We handed them a lot of runners early, and they scored a bunch of runs,” Butler coach Josh Forbes said. “I told our guys we had to turn this into an old-fashioned rodeo shootout, score a bunch of runs.
“We showed a lot of grit in doing that.”
North Hills had 11 batters reach base without getting a hit in the first four innings. Butler committed five errors, hit three batters, walked a pair and made a bad decision on a fielder’s choice to account for those runners.
“We dug a hole for ourselves, no doubt,” Forbes said.
The Indians returned the favor by walking 10 Tornado hitters in the first four frames, including the six during Butler’s six-run fourth inning.
North Hills coach Jon Pedrosky declined comment after the game.
Boden Lenyk blasted a triple to deep left-center to lead off the Butler sixth. He scored the eventual winning run on a wild pitch.
Tanner Pry pitched four innings in relief for the win, striking out eight.
“Tanner came in and gave us exactly what we needed,” Forbes said. “And Bo showed what kind of leader he is by drilling that triple.”
Butler trailed 6-1 when Pry relieved starting pitcher Aaron Lunn to begin the fourth.
“Just focus on the hitters and get outs,” Pry said of his approach entering the game. “My two-seamer was really working for me tonight. It was moving pretty good.”
North Hills starter Tristan Weimann struck out eight in 3.2 innings of work, but walked seven and was forced from the game in the fourth as his pitch count reached 102.
Butler remains unbeaten at 6-0, 2-0 in section play. North Hills is 2-5, 0-2.
The teams will complete their three-game series Thursday at North Hills.
“I've never been on a team with this kind of fight,” Pry said. “This was fun.“
North Hills 033 100 0 — 7 5 0
Butler 100 601 x — 8 6 5
WP: Tanner Pry 4IP (8so,4bb). LP: Kyler Blauth 1.1IP (2so, 0bb).
North Hills (2-5): Austin Ellis 1B 2-RBI, Jake Jurgensen 2-R, Austin Demartino 1B RBI, Ethan Guszynski 1B 2-R, Liam Connolly 2-1B 2-RBI.
Butler (6-0): Boden Lenyk 3B 3-R, Mavrik Clement RBI, Trent Best 2B RBI, Nolan Stefaniak 2-1B RBI, Nash Cuffman 2B 3-RBI, Owen Boring 1B.
Thursday: Butler at North Hills
