NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Three-straight three-run innings from Lipscomb was the difference on Friday as the Bison defeated Butler 9-3 in the 2015 season opener. Butler took a quick 1-0 lead in the second, but Lipscomb came charging back with a string of extra base hits to earn the win.

Butler pushed the first run of the game across home plate on a passed ball in the top of the second to take an early 1-0 advantage. Ryan Wojciechowski walked to lead off the inning and Chris Maranto sent a single into centerfield advancing the runner to second. Small ball placed each runner in scoring position was Will Amador successfully laid down a bunt in front of home plate and Wojciechowski would come home to score with Fries at the dish after the passed ball.

Butler held that lead until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Bison put together a two-out rally for their first runs of the season. Pitcher Jeff Schank retired the first two batters he faced in the inning, but a single from Gigliotti kept Lipscomb alive. Gigliotti stole second base and the Bison quickly had two on board after a walk. With runners on first and second, Allison came to the plate and delivered a two RBI double down the right field line. Lipscomb would add a third run after a single from Hanks.

A quick 1-2-3 inning by Butler in the top of the sixth inning would send the defense right back out into the cold weather, but this time with a new arm on the mound. Danny Pobereyko took the hill for the first time this season and it wasn't his strongest effort as he hit the first batter he saw and then, after a sacrifice bunt, walked Korte to give Lipscomb two on with just one out. Another two RBI double would follow in this inning as Lee cleared the bases with a shot to left center. Gigliotti laid down a perfectly executed bunt to reach base and move Lee to third and the game would move to 6-1 after a single from Massey.

Lipscomb decided to make a pitching change in the top of the seventh inning which helped Butler produce two runs. Drew Small came up with a two RBI single down the rightfield line that allowed Fries and Amador to score. The two out hit made each run scored unearned as Amador reached on an error to lead off the inning.

Butler's hopes of coming back in this one were put on hold in the bottom of the seventh as Lipscomb poured on three more runs in part to back-to-back doubles to start the inning. Gigliotti once again hurt Butler with a two RBI single and those runs would bring us to our final score of 9-3.

Gigliotti went 3-for-4 as the Bison lead-off man with two RBIs a walk and a run scored. Fries went 2-for-4 from the plate for Butler while it was Small collecting two RBIs.

Each starting pitcher had a good outing although Schank was hit with the loss. The lefty tossed five full innings allowing only two earned runs. He struck out three and walked four.

Ian Martinez-McGraw was on point in the '15 opener with six full innings to his credit that included two hits, one run (unearned) and two strikeouts.

Low temps were clearly a factor for the first game of the season which has moved day two action into a doubleheader. The two teams will play two beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday.