DODGE CITY, Kan. – The Butler baseball team continued its mid-season roll by taking three of four games from first-place Dodge City in a weekend series at Cavalier Field.
Butler lost a pitcher's duel in the first game by a 1-0 score. The Grizzlies came back to win the second game of Saturday's doubleheader by a 9-2 score, then swept a doubleheader on Sunday, winning the first game 8-6 and the second game 17-5 in a game that was called after eight innings due to run-rule.
Butler had hot-hitting performances from several players in the lineup, including Trevor Ezell, who was 7-13 at the plate and scored five runs and had four RBI. Dalton Wheat was 8-16 hitting, with three runs scored and four RBI. Ty Moore hit safely in all four games, going with three runs scored and six RBI.
Butler has now won 10 of its past 12 Jayhawk West Conference games and sits just two games back of first place in the standings. The Grizzlies have won 11 of their past 14 games to improve to 16-10 overall and 12-8 in the conference.
The Grizzlies are scheduled to play midweek games on Tuesday at Tabor JV and on Wednesday at Allen County before returning to McDonald Stadium for a four-game conference series against Garden City.
GAME 1 – Dodge City 1, Butler 0
Butler's Brad Day threw a complete game, allowing just one run on three hits. The only run he allowed was unearned, as Dodge City scored in the bottom of the sixth on a walk and an error.
Butler garnered only two hits against Dodge City starter Ross Vance, who threw a complete-game shutout. Ty Moore and Jordan Knox had Butler's only hits.
GAME 2 – Butler 9, Dodge City 2
Butler fell behind 1-0 in the second inning, but put up six runs in the top of the fourth. Tory Bell drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk, and Trevor Ezell's single drove in another run. Levi Parker walked to force in a run and Dalton Wheat singled up the middle to score two more and the final run scored on a Ty Moore single to left field.
Butler added three more in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded, Ty Moore drove in a run with a fielder's choice groundout to second. Evan Koehler then singled to right to drive in Moore and Levi Parker.
On the mound, Jackson Rolfs allowed just two runs on five hits through eight innings. He struck out three and did not allow a walk, improving his record to 3-1 on the season. Connor Dempsey threw a scoreless ninth inning to close out the game.
GAME 3 – Butler 8, Dodge City 6
GAME 4 – Butler 17, Dodge City 5
Butler put up multiple run in five different innings on the way to the run-rule shortened victory in the series finale. Eight of Butler's nine starters had at least one hit in the game, while Dalton Wheat was 4-5 and Tory Bell and Trevor Ezell were both 3-5.
Butler came into the game with just four home runs on the season, got three home runs in the game, with one apiece from Tory Bell, Evan Koehler and Trevor Ezell.
On the mound, starter Greg Houser went three innings, allowing five runs on eight hits. Reliever Brennan Walker threw five scoreless innings to earn the win, making him 2-0 on the season.