NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Butler staged a late rally and pulled out a 3-2 extra inning victory over host Belmont in the opening game of the 2014 Music City Classic in Nasville, Tenn., on Friday (Feb. 7).  It was the season-opener for both teams.

Butler, hitless through six innings, scored a single run in the top of the seventh frame to tie the game at 1-1 and send the contest into extra innings.  The Bulldogs then scored twice more in the top of the eighth frame to secure the win.

Belmont, which is co-hosting the tournament with Lipscomb, looked to be in control behind starting pitcher Taylor Moon.  The Bruins scored a single run in the third inning, and that appeared to be all that Moon would need.  The sophomore righthander didn't give up a hit through the first six innings and allowed just four Butler runners reach base.

But the Bulldogs broke through in the top of the seventh.  Junior Maria Leichty broke up the no-hitter with a single to left field, and freshman Brandyce Sallee followed with a run-scoring double to left.  Moon wiggled off the hook by getting Cassie Rupel to ground out and Krista Hakola to line into a double-play.

Hakola then began the top of the eighth inning on second base, under the international tie-breaker rule.  She advanced to third on an infield single by Sarah Gronowski, but was out at the plate on Krosley Ogden's grounder to short.  Freshman Chelsea Norwood then reached on a error by Belmont third baseman Mia Vierra, and Gronowski and Ogden both scored on the play.

Sophomore left-hander Kristin Gutierrez, who came on in relief of starter Leah Bry in the seventh inning, picked up the victory for the Bulldogs.  She allowed one unearned run on no hits in her two innings of work.  Bry gave up five hits and a single run through the first six innings.

The Bulldogs will continue play in the tournament on Saturday (Feb. 8) with a pair of games.  Butler will play Detroit at 2 p.m. (CT) and Eastern Tennessee State at 4:30 p.m.  Both games will be played at Belmont.