NO. 5 BUTLER TAKES PAIR OF BLUE DRAGONS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The No. 5 Butler Grizzlies were methodical in a Jayhawk East doubleheader sweep of the Hutchinson Community College softball team on Friday at Fun Valley.

Pushed back one day because of field conditions after midway rains, the Grizzlies swept by the Blue Dragons 11-2 and 9-0 on Friday, both games in five innings.

Hutchinson fell to 12-10 overall and 4-4 in the Jayhawk East, while Butler improves to 17-2 overall and 6-0 in the Jayhawk East. The Blue Dragons travel to Colby on Saturday.

The Blue Dragons' vaunted offense was limited to a combined two runs and four hits and was shut out for the first time this season.

GAME 1 RECAP
Butler scored three runs in the first and six more in the third before the Blue Dragons got their first hit off winning pitcher Izzy Erickson.

Madison Grimes singled to lead off the fourth. After moving up to second on a wild pitch, Grimes scored on a Natalie Bevan double to center field. Bevan later scored on an Easton Head bunt.

Butler out-hit Hutchinson 13-2.

Shayna Espy set an individual opponent record with three triples in one game. She scored two runs and had one RBI to lead the Grizzlies. Emily Adler had four RBIs.

Mequela Guajardo (2-4) took the loss with eight hits and eight runs allowed. Erickson struck out five in four innings of work for Butler.

GAME 2 RECAP
Maddie Redman blanked the Blue Dragons for the first time in 2021, limiting Hutchinson to two Bailey Pennycuff hits, a single and double. The only other baserunners for the Dragons were Kylee Dunn, who was hit by a pitch and later reached on a fielder's choice and Bevan, who reached on an error in the fourth inning.

Samarah Bailey (4-5) suffered the loss in the circle for the Dragons. She worked 3 1-3 innings and allowed nine hits and eight rounds with two strikeouts and two walks. Jordan Galliher didn't give up a hit, but did allow an unearned run.