QUEENS, N.Y. – The Butler softball team built a six-run lead and then held off St. John's in the rubber match of a BIG EAST series, winning the final game, 9-8, and taking the series, 2-1. The Red Storm (23-12, 4-5 BIG EAST) outhit the Bulldogs in the game, 18-8, and used a home run and 12 singles in the final three innings to pull within one run. The Bulldogs (16-10, 8-1 BIG EAST) produced the final three outs of the game after St. John's had loaded the bases.
 
Kayla Preiss generated four RBIs in the game-three victory, off a triple and a double, and Olivia Robards added three more with a home run and a double. Katie Petran picked up today's win to add to her game-one win on Friday.
 
In the top of the first inning, after a Hailey Conger single, Preiss doubled to the center field wall. Conger crossed home to give Butler an early, one-run lead. In the bottom half, St. John's answered with three runs on three hits and two errors. The Red Storm was up, 3-1, after one complete.
 
One inning later, with runners on second and third, Cate Lehner put the ball in play in the infield. A throwing error allowed two runs to score, and the game was tied at three. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, Preiss hit a basses-clearing triple to right center. Then, Robards doubled to send Preiss home. The Dawgs took a 7-3 lead.
 
Robards added to her RBI count with a two-run home run in the fourth inning, extending Butler's lead to 9-3.
 
In the fifth, the Red Storm got two runs back on a solo home run and three subsequent singles. One inning later, six singles were used to reduce the Bulldogs' lead to one. It was 9-8 with one inning to play.
 
St. John's started its final at bat with a pair of singles. Petran, who had started in the circle for Butler and left in fifth inning, returned to the rubber with the potential tying run on second and the potential winning run on first – and nobody out. After giving up another single to load the bases, Petran produced a strikeout and then forced a line out to first base and a popup to shortstop, ending the game in favor of the Dawgs.
 
In 5.1 total innings, Petran (7-3) allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Rylyn Dyer (1.1-IP, 3R, 5H) entered in fifth and lasted into the sixth, facing eight total batters, and Alyx Johnson (0.1-IP, 3H) faced four batters in the sixth and seventh.
 
Bulldog Bits

• The home run by Robards was her first this season and the seventh of her career. Her double was her 10^th this season and the 21^st of her career.
• Preiss had a career-high four RBIs. Her triple was a career first, and her double was her fourth this season.
• Kendall Graves' double was her fourth of the season.
• Petran's win was her seventh this season and the 29^th of her career. She was credited with both of Butler's wins in the series.

Up Next
Butler returns to Indianapolis to host Creighton for a three-game BIG EAST series from Thursday-Saturday, April 2-4.