Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Butler opened the 2017 campaign with a pair of thrilling wins as part of the Total Control Sports Invitational Friday afternoon in Rosemont, Ill.
 
The Bulldogs posted a walk-off 13-12 win over Miami (Ohio) in the opener before mounting a second come-from-behind win with a 9-8 triumph over Detroit later in the day.
 
After allowing seven runs to Miami in the top of the second inning, the Bulldogs responded with eight in the bottom half of the frame. The RedHawks quickly retook a 10-8 lead in the top of the third and added an 11^th run in the top of the fourth. Butler tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth.
 
After Miami took a 12-11 lead in the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs won it in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
Sarah Dixon went 3-of-5 at the plate and knocked in five runs. She had two doubles on the afternoon. Alyssa Garcia, Alyssa Lach and Jenna Foreman each had two hits for the Bulldogs, who were able to overcome seven errors in the contest.
 
Kacey Starwalt came on in relief of starter Mikeila Boroff to earn the win (1-0). Starwalt allowed only two earned runs over the final 5.1 innings of play.
 
Butler won the game in the seventh by loading the bases with no outs for Dixon, who launched a ground-rule double to right field that scored the tying and winnings runs.
 
In the second game of the day, Butler again found themselves in an early hold as Detroit took a 5-0 lead after three innings. The Bulldogs scored four runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth inning to take an 8-6 lead. After Detroit tied the game at 8-8 in the bottom of the fifth, Butler pushed across the eventual winning run with a single score in the top of the sixth.
 
Dixon, Brandyce Sallee and Christina Candotti (making her first career start for Butler) each had two hits for Butler in the game. Dixon and Sallee both scored twice. The winning run came off the bats of Dixon and Sallee, who had back-to-back doubles with two outs to score Dixon in the top of the sixth.
 
Freshman Gabbi Schnaiter came on in relief to pitch the final six frames. She allowed 12 hits and three earned runs, but was able to get out of additional trouble by striking out 11 Titans.
 
The Bulldogs continue play in Rosemont with a pair of Saturday contests. Butler and Western Illinois will meet at 10 a.m. (Eastern) before the Bulldogs face Wisconsin-Green Bay at 3 p.m.