Tournament Information – Spring Games
DATE:                         Friday, Feb. 10 – Sunday, Feb. 12
LOCATION:                Leesburg, Fla. / Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex
LIVE STATS:               butlersports.com (when available)
LIVE VIDEO:               FloSoftball
 
Tournament Website
Full Notes

The Butler softball team opens the 2023 season this weekend with six games over three days at the Spring Games near Orlando, Florida. The Bulldogs will face Minnesota, Western Kentucky, Marshall (twice), Portland State, and Colgate.

The Bulldogs (31-17, 16-6 BIG EAST) will be looking to build off of a 2022 season that saw the team finish with a program-record 16 conference victories, finishing second in the BIG EAST regular season final standings.

Bulldog Bits                                                        
 

• The 2022 Butler softball team finished the 2022 season ranked on several of Butler's all-time lists, including: 1st in conference wins (16), 2nd in drawn walks (150), 3rd in overall wins (31), 4th in (pitching) strikeouts (342), T-4th in team shutouts (9), 6th in home runs (27), 6th in winning percentage (.646 - 31-17), 6th in stolen bases (64), T-10th in triples (8).
   
• BIG EAST coaches ranked Butler fourth in the 2023 Preseason Poll. DePaul (1st), Villanova (2nd), and UConn (3rd) each received at least two first-place votes.
   
• Butler's 2023 schedule includes at least four teams that qualified for the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs are scheduled to compete against Minnesota (2/10), Missouri (2/17), Miami (OH) (3/8), and Villanova (4/6-8).
   
• Coach Scott Hall has added two new assistant coaches for the 2023 season:
  • Mallory Winters '12 was a four-year starter at catcher for Butler. She has coaching experience at Lewis University and with various club and travel organizations.
  • Daniel Shipley '22 served on the Bulldogs coaching staff as a student manager and student assistant coach from 2019-2022.

COMPARING OPPONENTS (2022 seasons)
 
Butler (31-17, 16-6 BIG EAST) - season ended in BIG EAST Tournament semifinal
Head Coach: Scott Hall (13th)
Outscored opponents, 185-151, in 2022. Three of top-5 hitters return.
Team produced a 2.53 ERA along with 9 shutouts. One of three primary pitchers returns.
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Minnesota (27-26-1, 11-12 Big Ten) - season ended in NCAA Tournament Regional
Head Coach: Piper Ritter (3rd)
Outscored opponents, 290-275, in 2022. Two of top-5 hitters return.
Team produced a 4.56 ERA along with 5 shutouts. One of two primary pitchers returns.
 
Western Kentucky (38-13, 17-7 C-USA) season ended in C-USA Tour. Championship Game
Head Coach: Amy Tudor (10th)
Outscored opponents, 274-145, in 2022. Three of top-5 hitters return.
Team produced a 2.39 ERA along with 11 shutouts. Neither of the two primary pitchers returns.
 
Marshall (35-18, 15-9 C-USA) season ended in the C-USA Tournament semifinal
Head Coach: Megan Smith Lyon (5th)
Outscored opponents, 325-200, in 2022. Two of top-5 hitters return.
Team produced a 3.34 ERA along with 12 shutouts. Two primary pitchers return.
 
Portland State (28-18, 10-5 Big Sky) season ended in the Big Sky Tournament semifinal
Head Coach: Meadow McWhorter (7th)
Outscored opponents, 225-176, in 2022. All five of Portland State's top-5 hitters return.
Team produced a 3.59 ERA along with 8 shutouts. Both primary pitchers return.
 
Colgate (20-28, 9-9 Patriot) season ended in the Patriot League Tournament
Head Coach: Marissa Lamison-Myers (6th)
Was outscored by opponents, 171-224, in 2022. Four of top-5 hitters return.
Team produced a 4.08 ERA along with 7 shutouts. Two of three primary pitchers return.