CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Butler softball team suffered a 7-0 shutout to Loyola and then a tough, 4-3, loss in extra innings to Southern Illinois at the Saluki Invitational. The Ramblers (4-13) held the Bulldogs (4-16) hitless in the shutout loss. Butler came from behind to force extra innings against the Salukis (13-2) and took a brief lead before ultimately conceding in the bottom of the eighth.
Game 3: Loyola- 7, Butler- 0 (7 innings)
Loyola broke out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, off of five hits and an error, and forced a Butler pitching change.
In the fourth, the Ramblers took advantage of three hits and another error to extend the lead to 7-0.
Loyola pitcher Peyton Pepkowski did not yield a hit through seven innings of play.
Sydney Cammon (0-3) started for Butler and was tagged with the loss. After allowing four runs (three earned) off five hits and a walk, she was relieved in the first by
Kayla Noerr (4.1 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 H, 4 BB). Cammon then re-entered, early in the sixth, to finish the game.
Game 4: Southern Illinois- 4, Butler- 3 (8 innings)
The game was scoreless through four innings, though Butler loaded the bases in the fourth but could not put one across.
In the bottom of the fifth, SIU scored two runs on two hits to jump into the lead.
The Bulldogs rallied to tie things up at 2-2 in the top of the sixth.
Kaylee Gross reached on a bunt single, and
Ella White sent her home with a two-run home run.
Neither team scored in the seventh, as the game went into extra innings all tied, 2-2.
In the top of the eighth,
Cate Lehner, who was placed on second, advanced to third on a
Kaylee Gross sacrifice bunt.
Teagan O'Rilley then hit a single to right center and pushed Lehner across, giving Butler a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom half, SIU loaded the bases with nobody out. An infield error allowed the Salukis to tie the game at three, and a subsequent bunt single gave SIU the victory.
Mackenzie Griman (2-7) pitched a complete game for Butler and took the loss. Over 7.0 statistical innings, she allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and six walks while striking out three.
Bulldog Bits
- Ella White's home run vs. SIU was her first of the season and the sixth of her career.
- Mackenzie Griman's complete game against SIU was her sixth of the season.
- The eight-inning loss to SIU was Butler's second extra-inning game of the season.
Up Next
Butler remains in Carbondale, Ill., for one more game in the Saluki Invite on Monday, Mar. 6. The Bulldogs will have a rematch with SIU before heading back to Indianapolis.
