LEESBURG, Fla. – The Butler softball team lost a game continued from the previous day, won its first game of the season in dramatic fashion, and then dropped a third game in extra innings. The Bulldogs are now 1-3 on the young season with two games remaining at the Spring Games in Florida.
Game 2 (completion): Western Kentucky- 10, Butler- 0 (5 innings)
Heavy rains halted the game on Friday, in the top of the fourth inning, with Western Kentucky leading, 5-0. When play was resumed on Saturday, the Hilltoppers put five more runs on the board in the fourth and held Butler scoreless.
Cate Lehner notched two singles for Butler.
Rylyn Dyer (0-1) started in the pitching circle for the Bulldogs and took the loss. In three innings, she yielded ten runs on 12 hits and three walks while striking out two. Dyer was relieved by
Kayla Noerr (2 IP, 2 H) in the fourth inning.
Game 3: Butler- 7, Marshall- 6 (7 innings)
Butler took an early lead in the second inning when
Monique Hoosen (2-3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and was knocked in by a
Kaylee Gross single. Then, one inning later, a
Cate Lehner (2-4) bunt, an
Ella White double, and singles by
Teagan O'Rilley and
Paige Dorsett, plated two. After a Marshall pitching change, Hoosen launched a three-run dinger that put Butler up, 6-0.
The Herd got one back in the fourth inning off a solo home run. Then, in the sixth, Marshall strung together three singles and a three-run long ball to pull within one, 5-6.
Rylyn Dyer entered for Butler and retired the side.
In the top of the seventh, Marshall put the tying run on second with no outs, and a bunt moved the runner to third. A single tied the score at six.
The Bulldogs drew three walks to start their half of the seventh frame.
Mackenzie Griman was at the plate when the Herd threw a wild pitch. Pinch runner
Ellie Boyer stole home as Butler earned the walk-off victory.
Sydney Cammon (10 H, 5 R, 5 ER) started for Butler and threw for 5.1 innings.
Rylyn Dyer (1-1) picked up the win for the Bulldogs. She faced eight batters in 1.2 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run.
Game 4: Portland State- 6, Butler- 4 (8 innings)
Portland State jumped on the board early with two runs in the top of the first. In the bottom half, Butler cut the lead to one when
Teagan O'Rilley singled in
Kaylee Gross (2-4, 3 SB). The Vikings added another in the second, but in the bottom of the third, the Bulldogs tied it up, 3-3, with singles from
Cate Lehner and
Ella White (2-4), walks drawn by O'Rilley and
Paige Dorsett, and a sacrifice fly from
Monique Hoosen.
Neither team scored in the fourth, and each put up one in the fifth. Butler's run came when Gross singled, stole two bases, and crossed the plate on an error. The score remained 4-4 through seven innings.
In the eighth, Portland State put two across and then held Butler scoreless to win, 6-4.
Mackenzie Griman (0-2) pitched a complete eight inning game for Butler. She allowed six runs (four earned) on 11 hits and five walks, notching three strikeouts.
Bulldog Bits
- Cate Lehner's two hits against Western Kentucky were the first and second of her career. She had five hits on the day.
- Rylyn Dyer saw her first action in the pitching circle as a Bulldog against Western Kentucky and, later, picked up her first win against Marshall.
- Kieli Ryan made her first career appearance behind the plate against Western Kentucky.
- Monique Hoosen's home run against Marshall was her first of the season and the 14th of her career. She is now ninth on Butler's all-time list for career home runs.
Up Next
Butler remains in Leesburg, Fla., for its next two games at the Spring Games on Saturday, Feb. 11. The Bulldogs will play Marshall at 11 a.m. and Portland State at 1:30 p.m.
