ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Butler softball team started the day with a loss to Bowling Green but rebounded with a shutout victory against Murray State. In game one, the Bulldogs (2-1) fell behind in the first inning against the Falcons (2-0) and were never able to take the lead, eventually losing, 8-4. In game two, Butler scored in the third, fourth, and seventh innings for a total of six runs and never let the Racers (0-1) cross the plate.
 
Game 1: Bowling Green- 8, Butler- 4 (7 innings)
Bowling Green scored three on a first inning home run, but Butler cut the lead to one in the third when Ellie Boyer doubled in Bri Avery, and Ella White knocked in Boyer. The Falcons added two unearned runs in the fourth and three more in the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, a Boyer single scored Monique Hoosen, and a Kinley Longest single produced a Sydney Carter run, but the Bulldogs' late rally ended at that point.
 
Alyssa Graves (0-1) started in the circle for Butler and took the loss. In 3.2 innings of work, she gave up five runs (2 earned) on one hit and seven walks, striking out two. Mackenzie Griman (3 R, 1 K) pitched 1.2 innings in relief, and Madison Seigworth (1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB) finished the game.
 
Game 2: Butler- 6, Murray State- 0 (7 innings)
Butler opened the scoring in the third when an Ellie Boyer bunt allowed Bri Avery to score. Then, in the fourth, an Avery single pushed Emily Perrelle across the plate, and the next batter, Lauren Fey, singled to score Avery. In the seventh, Zoe Herdman drove in Ella White, and a Teagan O'Rilley double tacked on two more when Karli Ricketts and Herdman both touched the plate.
 
Karli Ricketts (1-0) threw a complete game shutout. She gave up six hits, including a double and a triple, but strong pitching and a stout defense prevented the Racers from crossing the plate. Ricketts only allowed one walk and tallied six strikeouts.
 
Bulldog Bits

• Bulldogs with multiple hits on the day included Bri Avery (4-6, RBI, 3 R, 3 SB), Ellie Boyer (3-8, 3 RBI, 1 R, 2B, SB), Teagan O'Rilley (2-5, 2 RBI, 2B), Ella White (2-6, RBI, R), and Lauren Fey (2-6, RBI).
• With six strikeouts, Karli Ricketts now has 331 career strikeouts and has secured sole possession of the eighth position on Butler's all-time list. She is currently 19 strikeouts away from tying for the seventh spot.
• The shutout for Ricketts was her seventh and moves her into a tie for fifth on Butler's all-time list for career shutouts.
• Bowling Green and Butler had met only once prior to today, and the Falcons won that contest as well.
• With the win in game two, Butler tied the all-time series with Murray State, 3-3.

Up Next
Butler remains in Rosemont, Ill., for two games on Saturday, February 12. The Bulldogs will face St. Thomas at 9:30 am CT (10:30 am ET) and, later in the day, will take on Western Illinois at 12 pm CT (1 pm ET).