ENID, Okla. – The Butler baseball team ran its early-season winning streak to three games with a 4-3 win over Northern Oklahoma-Enid on Thursday at David Allen Memorial Stadium.
The Grizzlies scored two runs in the first inning when Brayon Colley and Matt Moore both reached base because of Northern errors. Ross Cunningham would hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Colley and Tory Bell grounded out to second, allowing Moore to score as Butler took a 2-0 lead.
Butler scored another run in the second inning with three straight two-out singles. The third single, by Brayon Colley, allowed Christian Locke to score from third base, putting Butler ahead 3-1.
Butler's final run came in the sixth when Mark Hutmacher singled to score Travis Hendry from third base.
The Grizzlies led 4-2 heading to the bottom of the ninth. Nathan Briar came on in relief, allowing one run before closing the game to earn the save.
Dakota McKaskle started the game for Butler, allowing just one hit and one run while striking out five in four innings of work to earn the win.
Butler is now 3-2 on the season, having won three straight after losing two to Odessa on the first day of the season. The Grizzlies will be on the road Tuesday afternoon at Emporia State at 2 p.m.
Northern Oklahoma, which is ranked 14th nationally in the NJCAA Division II preseason poll, is now 0-1. The Jets will play Butler in El Dorado on March 7 at 2 p.m.
