CLEARWATER, FLA. - Butler fell victim to two big innings and wound up dropping a pair of games in Clearwater, Fla., on Friday, March 14.  The Bulldogs lost a 4-3 decision to LIU Brooklyn in the first game of the day at the Eddie Moore Complex and then fell to Yale, 4-2, in the second contest.

LIU Brooklyn (9-16) scored all four of its runs with two outs in the third inning of the first game.  The Blackbirds picked up back-to-back singles from Madison Zymkowitz and Lauren Morizi, and with two outs, Whitney West walked to load the bases.

Jazmin Rodriguez then drove in the first two runs of the game with a single off of Butler starter Allie Tarrant.  Kayla Gloady followed with another single to drive in the final two runs.

The Bulldogs mounted their own rally in a comeback attempt in the top of the fifth inning.  Singles by Cassie Rupel and Krista Hakola set the stage for Riley Carter, who drove in Butler's first run with a single up the middle.  Hakola came home with the second run on an error on the play.    Krosley Ogden then singled to left field to drive in Carter.  But the Blackbirds recorded the final out of the inning with Ogden in scoring position.

Ogden led Butler's seven-hit attack with a pair of singles.  Tarrant, who went the distance in the circle, suffered her second setback of the season.

Yale (2-7) scored all four of its runs with two outs in the fourth inning of the second game.  Laina Do started the rally with a one-out single and Rachel Paris was hit by a pitch.  A ground out advanced both runners and Carolyn McGuire followed with a two-run double.  A walk to Allie Souza preceded a two-run triple by Sarah Onorato.

The Bulldogs had taken a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a pair of errors and sacrifice flies by Chelsea Norwood and Maria Leichty.

Yale starter Chelsey Dunham limited Butler to just two hits, singles by Carter and Sarah Gronowski.  Butler starter Kristen Gutierrez blanked Yale on three hits over the first three innings and then allowed just one hit and no runs over the final three frames.  She had six strikeouts and one walk, but fell to 2-6 on the season.

Butler (5-14) will continue its Spring Break trip with games against Massachusetts and Iona on Saturday, March 15.