ROSEMONT, ILL. -- Brie Pasquale led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo home run to lift Loyola to a 6-5 victory over Butler on the opening day of the Total Control Sports Invitational on Friday (Feb. 6).  It was the season-opener for both teams.

Butler was in control in the early innings at the indoor tournament being held at the Dome at Rosemont.  The Bulldogs jumped to a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a bases-loaded single by freshman Sarah Dixon, and then added single runs in the third and fourth innings.

Junior Alex Kotter provided the run in the third frame with a solo home run, while sophomore Chelsea Norwood drove in the run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly.

Butler starter Kristin Gutierrez cruised through the first three innings, blanking the Ramblers on two hits.

But the host team started its comeback with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, before taking the lead with three runs in the fifth.  Gutierrez was charged with the first four runs, while sophomore Allie Tarrant gave up the fifth.

The Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the seventh inning on a leadoff walk to senior Kristen Boros and a two-out double by Dixon.  Gutierrez returned to the mound to pitch the bottom of the seventh and surrendered the home run top Pasquale.

Kotter was three for three in the game, with one run scored and one run driven in.  Dixon, playing her first game in a Butler uniform, added three hits and three RBI's.  The Bulldogs out-hit Loyola, 10-6, but left 12 runners on base.

Butler will continue play in the tournament with games against Western Illinois (3 p.m. ET) and UIC (7 p.m. ET) on Saturday.  The three-day tournament wraps up on Sunday, Feb. 8.