VANDALIA - After a stinging home defeat on Wednesday, the Red Devils traveled to Butler seeking redemption but were met with more disappointment, falling 6-5 to the Aviators in eleven innings. This marked the eleventh consecutive win for Butler against their rivals, in front of a spirited crowd of 438 on Friday night.
Stymied all evening by starter Mason Reckner and a stout Aviator defense, the Red Devils scavenged five runs in the top of the seventh to force extra innings. As the game moved past the three-hour mark and into the bottom half of the eleventh inning, the Red Devils hopes of an upset came crashing down.
Freshman catcher Jackson Schilling drew a leadoff walk, and Alex Ables (3-for-5, 2 RBI) laid down a textbook bunt, drawing an errant throw by Tipp’s Drew Husic. Mitch Strehle (1-for-2) came on to also lay down a beauty of a bunt, this one a sacrifice to advance runners to second and third.
Paxton Dwenger was hit by the first pitch to load the bases for Max Rubins. Rubins took a strike looking and battled off a pitch for a foul for an 0-2 count. Rubins sent a liner to centerfield on the next pitch and Schilling across the plate for the walk off win.
While Reckner got the start, working six innings, striking out seven and allowing just five hits, it was Landon Case who earned the win for Butler. Case worked the final five innings, allowing just one unearned run with eight punchouts.
Hunter Richardson finished 3-for-6 with a double, along with Austin Flohre (2-for-5) who also doubled in the win.
The win lifts Butler to 17-5 overall and 14-1 atop the Miami Valley League. The Aviators will host another night game Saturday evening at 6:30 facing off against the Golden Bears of Upper Arlington.