Butler baseball improved to 12-1 on the season with a pair of 14-4 run-rule wins over Highland on Saturday at McDonald Stadium.

The Grizzlies finished off the four-game non-conference series with Highland by scoring 49 runs and run-ruling the Scotties in all four games.

Colby Standard provided most of the offensive fireworks for Butler, going a combined 6-for-7 with two home runs and nine RBIs in the doubleheader. Standard hit both homers and drove in eight in the opening game, then added a 3-for-4 performance with two doubles in Game 2.

Jackson Syring, Austin Portner and Noah Argenta each hit a home run and drove in three runs during the second game, with Argenta ending the game with a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Butler opens conference play on Thursday with a road doubleheader at Garden City beginning at 1:00 p.m, then return home for the final two games of the series on Saturday.

Game 1 – Butler 14, Highland 4 (5 innings)

Highland took an early 1-0 lead on a Gustavo Nava RBI single in the first inning, but Standard quickly put the Grizzlies in front with a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame.

The Scotties grabbed the lead back in the second with a Alejandro Torres RBI groundout and a Cade Medelin sacrifice fly for a 3-2 Highland lead, but the Grizzlies roared back in the bottom of the second as Standard and Ryan drove in all of Butler's runs during a seven-run inning.

In the Butler second, Highland recorded the first two outs, but the Scotties loaded the bases with two walks and a hit by pitch. Standard then cleared the bases with a three-run double to left when Scotties left fielder Jason Dudzik lost a ball in the sun. After Standard stole third base, both Josh Cameron and Austin Portner were issued walks to re-load the bases for Ryan, who hammered a grand slam to center field put the Grizzlies up 9-3.

Standard hit his second home run – a three-run blast to left field in the third as Butler extended its lead to 12-3.

Argenta added an RBI triple to right-center to score Ryan in the fourth inning, then Portner ended the game with a sacrifice fly to plate Dylan Werries in the fifth.

Nate Adler (3-0) threw all five innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and six strikeouts on just 58 pitches.

In addition to Standard's 3-for-3, eight-RBI performance, Ryan went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBIs on the grand slam, while Syring was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Werries and Standard also scored three runs each.

Game 2 – Butler 14, Highland 4 (8 innings)

Butler cruised an a 8-1 lead after four innings of play behind a pair of three-run home runs from Jackson Syring and Austin Portner.

Colby Standard put the Grizzlies in front with an RBI single to right-center to drive in Dylan Werries, but a Alejandro Pena solo homer in Highland's second inning tied the game.

Syring broke the 1-1 tie with a three-run homer to right-center in the bottom of the second inning, then Portner followed with a three-run blast to left field in the third for a 7-1 Grizzly lead.

Butler added a run in the fourth when a Werries sacrifice fly after Syring tripled to center, but Highland pulled back within four with two home runs. Jaeden Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the fifth, then Jason Dudzik added a solo shot in the sixth.

_{Up 8-4, Butler grabbed two runs back on a throwing error on a Ryan groundout, which allowed Standard and Werries to score on the play.}

Butler then capped the game with a four-run eighth inning as Cache Stone drove in Werries with an RBI single to left, then Argenta hit a walk-off three-run homer with two outs.

Werries led the Grizzlies with three runs scored, while Syring finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three runs driven in. Both Standard and Argenta each scored two runs.

Zach Chiolis (2-0) earned the win, throwing 4 1/3 innings with three runs on three hits, striking out eight and walking two. Braden Meek tossed the final 3 2/3 innings, dominating Highland with six strikeouts and giving up just one hit – the solo homer to Dudzik in the sixth.