MOBILE, ALA. -- Two big innings took their toll on Butler's softball team, and the Bulldogs wound up dropping a pair of games at the Mardi Gras Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 14.  Butler dropped its first game to host South Alabama, 9-4, and then fell in the second to Oklahoma State, 9-5.

Both Butler opponents used a six-run inning to take command.  South Alabama scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning to jump out to a 6-0 lead, while Oklahoma State exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fourth frame to grab an 8-0 advantage.  The Bulldogs were left playing catch-up in both contests.

South Alabama (3-4) compiled its big inning on four hits and three walks against a pair of Butler pitchers.  The big hits were a pair of two-run doubles.

Butler scored a pair of runs in the third inning on an infield single by Alex Kotter and a sacrifice fly by Alyssa Lach.  The same two players drove in Butler's final two runs in the fifth inning.

Kotter had two of Butler's four hits in the game.

In the second game, Oklahoma State (2-5) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning off of Butler starter Kristin Gutierrez and then stretched the lead to 8-0 in the fourth frame with six runs on six hits.

Butler mounted its own rally in the fifth inning, scoring four runs on four hits.  The rally featured a three-run, home run by Chelsea Norwood and a solo home run by Kristen Boros.  Butler's final run came home on a sacrifice fly by Boros in the seventh inning.

Kotter and Brandyce Sallee each had a pair of hits against Oklahoma State to pace Butler's offense.  The Bulldogs had nine hits as a team.

Butler (3-5) will close out play at the Mardi Gras Invitational on Sunday, Feb. 15, with a single game against Lipscomb at 10 a.m. (CT).