VILLANOVA, Pa. – In its first BIG EAST contest of the season, the Butler softball team defeated Villanova, 6-2, in the opening game of a three-game series. The Bulldogs (8-9, 1-0 BIG EAST) scored in the first inning and never trailed. The Wildcats (5-20, 2-2 BIG EAST) threatened multiple times, including the final two innings, but Butler's Katie Petran and her defense withstood the pressure to produce a complete-game victory.

In the first inning, with Cate Lehner on second, a Hailey Conger single put Butler on the board. The Bulldogs pushed two more across on four total bunts in their half of the inning. In the bottom half, Villanova answered with one run, but the Wildcats still trailed, 3-1.
 
Two innings later, Nova's Maranda Runco hit a solo home run to close the gap to just one run.
 
In the fifth, a Paxton Law double, along with a Lehner bunt single, put two Butler runners on base. Kayla Preiss then pushed them across with a single to center field. The Butler lead was back to three. One inning later, Conger singled home Rachel Hunt, and the Bulldogs increased their lead to 6-2.
 
Villanova loaded the bases and threatened in the bottom of the sixth, but the Butler defense held.
 
In the final half inning, the Wildcats loaded the bases again. With one out, Runco once again stepped to the plate. This time, Petran neutralized the threat with a strikeout. An ensuing pop up ended the game.
 
Petran (3-3) started in the circle for Butler and earned a complete-game victory. In 7.0 innings, she allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
 
Bulldog Bits

• Law's double was her first this season and the second of her career.
• Petran's complete-game win was her third this season, and it was the 25^th win of her career.

Up Next
Butler remains in Villanova for game two of the three-game BIG EAST series. Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.