INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler softball team produced its first BIG EAST series sweep of the season with a game three, 3-0, shutout over Creighton. The win also marks the first time the Bulldogs (26-14, 12-5 BIG EAST) have won 12 games in a single season in BIG EAST competition. Coming into the series, the Bluejays (14-24, 4-15 BIG EAST) were atop the conference with a team batting average of .293, but Butler pitchers held the visitors to a total of eight hits and two runs with a combined .114 average at the plate over the three games.
 
How It Happened

• In the second inning, a Bri Avery single to left center knocked in Monique Hoosen (1-2, SB) from third, giving Butler an early, 1-0, lead.
• In the fifth, Mackenzie Griman (2-3, 2 RBI) hit a two-run single up the middle, pushing Lauren Fey (1-2, R, 2 SB) and Ellie Boyer (SB) across for what would be the final two runs.

Butler Pitching
Alyssa Graves (11-3) pitched a two-hit shutout, going the distance for Butler in her second complete game in as many days. In 7.0 innings, she allowed only two hits and three walks while striking out six.
 
Bulldog Bits

• Alyssa Graves' win on Sunday was her eleventh of the season and the 38th of her career.
• The shutout was Graves' second of the season and ninth of her career. She is now in sole possession of the fourth spot all-time at Butler.
• The complete game for Graves was her sixth of the season and the 36th of her career. She is now tied for seventh on Butler's all-time career list (Kena Woods, '95-'98 and Nikki Naffziger, '05-'08).
• Graves has now pitched 519.0 innings in a Butler uniform and has cracked the top five on Butler's all-time list for career innings pitched.
• Lauren Fey's two stolen bases bring her season total to 17 and her career total to 50.
• Ellie Boyer's stolen base on Sunday raised her season total to fifteen. She had four in the series.
• Monique Hoosen's stolen base was her second in as many games. It was her fourth of the season and the eighth of her career.
• Sydney Carter's stolen base was her second of the season.
• With today's win, the Bulldogs have 12 wins in the BIG EAST for the season. This represents the most BIG EAST Conference wins for any Butler team, surpassing the 2017 squad that went 11-9 in the conference. (In 2011, the Bulldogs won 14 games in the Horizon League.)

Up Next
The Bulldogs will host IUPUI on the Butler campus for 4 pm non-conference game on Tuesday, April 26. The next BIG EAST series will be in Indianapolis against Providence from April 29 – May 1.