WATERFORD — The DuBois Little League All-Star baseball team saw its summer run come to an end Wednesday evening, as the District 10 champions dropped a 10-0 contest to Butler Township in the if-necessary championship game at the Section 1 Tournament in Waterford.
The matchup was the third of the tourney between the two teams, with the squads splitting the two games.
Butler won the first meeting 5-4 on Sunday in the winner’s bracket final, then DuBois fought its way back to the championship game with a 6-3 win vs. French Creek on Monday.
DuBois then blanked Butler, 7-0, in the first section title game Tuesday to force the winner-take-all contest Wednesday.
Unfortunately for DuBois, its offense was silenced Wednesday as Butler Township’s starter tossed a four-hit shutout on 59 pitches in four innings of work in the mercy-rule victory.
Butler grabbed the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first against DuBois starter Jordan Lockett.
DuBois tried to answer right back in the second, getting two of its four hits in the inning.
Mason Blasco singled to center with one out, then Atley Palumbo singled to left with two away. Both runners moved up a base on a passes ball, but Butler Township stranded both runners in scoring position when Everett Reiter lined out to short to end the inning.
Butler then broke the game wide open with seven runs in bottom of the second that featured five hits and a pair of DuBois errors that helped open the door for the huge rally.
DuBois never recovered from that rally, managing just two runners over the final two innings.
Alex Hughes singled with one out in the third, while Hank Benton did the same in the fourth.
However, never runner left first base. Hughes was erased on a fielder’s choice in the third, while Benton was doubled-off first in the fourth when Landon Liddle lined out to the right fielder.
With the win, Butler Township earned a trip to the Pennsylvania State Tournament in Fairchance on July 21-27.
DuBois finished All-Star play with an 8-2 record.