CHATTANOOGA, TENN. -- Despite two solid pitching performances, Butler came up empty in the first two games of the Frost Classic on Friday, Feb. 21.  The Bulldogs lost the tournament-opener to Northwestern State, 5-1, before falling to host Chattanooga, 3-1, in the second contest.

The Bulldogs allowed just two earned runs in the two games.  But Northwestern State used four unearned runs to pull out the opener and Chattanooga prevailed with a pair of unearned runs in the second.

The two setbacks dropped Butler to 2-8 on the young season.  The Bulldogs will continue play at the tournament with games against Radford and Ohio on Saturday, Feb. 22.  Butler's final game in the tournament will be against Austin Peay on Sunday, Feb. 23.

Northwestern State 5, Butler 1
A grand slam by Natalie Landry in the bottom of the fourth inning broke a 1-1 tie and lifted Northwestern State to a victory over Butler.

The decisive rally started with a one-out error.  An infield single and a walk loaded the bases for the Lady Demons, and Landry delivered the game-winner.  Pitcher Skylar Cagle blanked the Bulldogs over the final three innings to seal the win.

Butler took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a double by Callie Dennison and a two-out, run-scoring single by Brandyce Sallee.  The lead didn't last long.  Cassandra Barefield led off the bottom of the second inning with a home run to tie the game.

Sallee led Butler's five-hit attack with a pair of singles.

Cagle had nine strikeouts in her complete-game performance.  Leah Bry went the distance for the Bulldogs, striking out four while allowing six hits.

Chattanooga 3, Butler 1
Pitchers Liana Rodrigues and Taylor Deason combined to limit Butler to just two hits, while leading host Chattanooga to the victory.  Rodrigues gave up one hit in one-and-two-thirds innings of work, while Deason surrendered a lone single in the final five-and-a-third innings.

The Mocs took the lead for good with a pair of unearned runs off of Butler starter Kristin Guttierrez in the bottom of the third inning.  Sam Taylor opened the inning with a walk and Alyssa Taylor followed with a single.  Two outs later, both players scored on an outfield error.

Brandyce Sallee drove in Riley Carter with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning for Butler's lone run.

Krista Hakola and Cassie Rupel had Butler's two hits in game.  Guttierrez allowed just four hits in six innings of work, and she finished with six strikeouts.