All it takes is 1
BUTLER TWP — Freeport was short 100 runs.
That according to a voice coming from their dugout before the bottom half of the final inning of Freeport’s meeting with Butler Township Thursday night.
Although that wasn’t the case, it probably felt like it.
A 10-run flurry in the top of the fifth frame catapulted Butler Township to the right side of a 15-6 Butler County Area Baseball League final. The game was held at the Butler High School baseball field.
Until that onslaught, the hosts were held off the board by Freeport starting pitcher Zach Clark. He stranded runners at the corners to end matters in the top of the third.
“They’re inevitable,” Freeport coach Joe Hotalski said. “Sooner or later, these guys (Butler Township) are going to hit the ball. You’d better be ready for it.”
Down by three runs after the guests came across in both of the first two innings, Ryan Hepfl led the home fifth off with an infield single, which he stretched to a double on a throwing error.
Each of the next seven of his teammates to step into the batter’s box reached base. Karter Weitzel, C.J. Singleton, Mac Schnur, Ethan Trettel, David Leslie, and Braden Marcellus all drove in at least one run as their crew batted around.
Clark was yanked in favor of reliever Logan Jendrejewski, who didn’t have much better luck in putting the fire out.
“I just told them that it was the inning to turn the heat on,” said Scott Hepfl, filling in as Butler Township’s coach. “I just think every kid in the lineup can just hit the ball. They all play well.”
Although Freeport strung together four consecutive singles — including an RBI knock by A.J. Demharter — in the bottom half, the inning was a backbreaker for Freeport.
“The motivation, it does go away,” Hotalski said. “At the end of the day ... we still have got to go out and try to win games. Whether they score 10 or they score five, we’ve got to score one more.
“And we didn’t.”
Freeport has three games remaining on their schedule. Each of them will come at home at Freeport Community Park’s Laube Field.
“We’ve got to string together some hits offensively, and defensively, we’ve got to put together seven innings of baseball,” Hotalski said.
Singleton pitched the last 2.1 innings for Butler Township. He punched out a pair of batters and kept the visitors from pinning anything else up.
Butler Township will return to action promptly, as it will clash with West Sunbury at Slippery Rock High School at 6 p.m. on Friday. Butler Township won the teams’ first tilt, 10-0, on May 27, and is the last remaining undefeated team in the standings.
“It’s their summer league, so they’re just having fun,” Hepfl said.
Butler Twp. 000 0 10 41 — 15 17 0
Freeport 120 030 0 — 6 11 1
Butler Twp. (8-0): Mac Schnur 2-1B RBI 2R, Ethan Trettel 2-1B RBI 2R, David Leslie 2-1B 2RBI 2R, Mattix Clement 1B 2RBI R, Kyle Yost 1B, Ryan Hepfl 1B 2R, Braden Marcellus 1B 2B 2 RBI 2R, Carter Weitzel 2-1B RBI R, C.J. Singleton 2B 2RBI R, Hayden Thompson R
Freeport (6-5): Brady Stivenson 1B 2R, Zach Clark 1B, Johnathan Hotalski 2-1B RBI R, Braden Clark 2-1B RBI R, A.J. Demharter 1B RBI, Logan Jendrejewski 2-1B
Friday: Butler Township at West Sunbury
Tuesday: West Sunbury at Freeport
