ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Butler softball team picked up a pair of wins in the DePaul Dome Tournament on Saturday, shutting out St. Thomas, 7-0, and defeating Western Illinois in dramatic fashion, 6-2. The Bulldogs (4-1) never trailed against the Tommies (2-1), scoring runs in four different innings. In game two, Butler held an early two-run lead, but the Leathernecks (0-3) tied things up in the top half of the fifth. In the bottom half, a Karli Ricketts grand slam provided the winning margin for the Bulldogs.
 
Game 1: Butler- 7, St. Thomas- 0, (7 innings)
In the second inning, Monique Hoosen scored the first and, ultimately, the winning run on a Kaylee Gross single. One inning later, Paige Dorsett singled in Ellie Boyer, and the Bulldogs led, 2-0. Butler saw its first homer of the season in the fifth when Ella White knocked one over the wall, also scoring Boyer. The lead was extended to 7-0 in the sixth when Lauren Fey scored on an error and Hoosen hit a two-RBI single, scoring Dorsett and White.
 
Mackenzie Griman (2-0) started for Butler and picked up the win. In 5.0 innings, she gave up one hit and one walk while striking out four. Assisting in the combined shutout was Madison Seigworth (2.0 IP, 2 H, 4 K).
 
Game 2: Western Illinois- 2, Butler- 6 (7 innings)
In the second inning, Teagan O'Rilley hit the Bulldogs' second home run of the season, also driving in Karli Ricketts and giving Butler and early 2-0 lead. Western Illinois tied the game with two runs in the top of the fifth, but Ricketts launched a grand slam home run in the bottom half to put the Bulldogs permanently back on top, 6-2. The bag-clearing bomb also scored Paige Dorsett, Ellie Boyer, and Lauren Fey.
 
Alyssa Graves (4.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) started for the Bulldogs in the circle. Karli Ricketts (2-0) came out of the bullpen for 2.2 innings to earn the victory. She allowed no hits or walks while striking out two.
 
Bulldog Bits

• Bri Avery (3-6, 2 SB) led the team in hits for the day, while those with a pair included Teagan O'Rilley (2-3, 2 RBI, R, 2B, HR), Karli Ricketts (2-5, 4 RBI, 2 R, HR), Monique Hoosen (2-5, 2 RBI, R), Lauren Fey (2-5, RBI, 2 R, SB), Ellie Boyer (2-5, 3 R, 2B, SB), and Ella White (2-6, 2 RBI, 2 R).
• Karli Ricketts' grand slam against Western Illinois was her 19th home run and the first grand slam in her collegiate career.
• The home run for Ella White against St. Thomas was the first of her collegiate career, and Teagan O'Rilley's dinger vs. Western Illinois was the second of her career.
• The combined shutout against St. Thomas (Griman/Seigworth) was the Bulldogs' second shutout of the season.
• This was the Bulldogs' first-ever meeting with St. Thomas which just recently made the transition from Division III to Division I.

Up Next
Butler remains in Rosemont, Ill., for one final game on Sunday, February 13. The Bulldogs have a rematch with Bowling Green at 10 am ET/ 9 am central.