GREAT BEND, Kan. – Butler baseball traveled to Lawson-Biggs Field on Wednesday and came away with a doubleheader split with the Barton Cougars in the first conference action of the season for wither team.
Butler (9-7, 1-1 KJCCC) won the first game 4-3 in seven innings and lost the second game 3-2 in nine innings. The two teams will complete the four-game series with a doubleheader on Sunday at McDonald Stadium in El Dorado. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
Game 1: Butler 4, Barton 3
Two runs in the seventh inning helped give the Grizzlies a win in the first game. Jordan Hedrick put the Grizzlies in front with an RBI single through the left side that scored a run, and a Cougar error plated another run on the same play as the Grizzlies broke a 2-2 tie to lead 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh.
BSB at Barton (G1) | T7
— Butler Grizzlies (@ButlerGrizzlies) March 6, 2024
Jordan Hedrick puts the Grizzlies in front‼️ The freshman from Platte City singles through the left side for an RBI and a Cougar error scores another. Butler leads 4-2 heading to B7#RoarGrizz�� pic.twitter.com/ubApJl80NP
Barton threatened in the bottom half with a one out triple but only plated one run before Jack Haag secured his fourth save of the season closing things out.
Caden Kickhaefer started on the mound for Butler and went 4.2 innings allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out four and walked four. Kaden Spray (W, 1-0) came away with the win tossing 1.1 innings allowing no runs on one hit.
Taber Stokes led Butler with two hits and two RBI as his first inning two-run double gave Butler an early 2-0 lead. Hedrick, Justin Hudson and Anibal Rivera combined for the rest of Butler's hits (five).
Barton's starting pitcher Reece Hemmerling (L, 2-1) was credited with the loss. He threw 6.2 innings allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits, striking out six and walking two. Jaron Cotton paced the Cougars with two hits and an RBI.
Game 2: Barton 3, Butler 2
Barton scattered a run each in the first, third and fourth innings to escape with a 3-2 victory to force a split.
Bradyn McClure (L, 1-2) started for Butler and threw 5.0 innings allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits, striking out five and walking none. Tate Rico and Jack Laird combined to throw 3.0 shutout innings down the stretch but the Grizzly offense could not convert.
Justin Hudson drove in two runs on a two-run home run in the sixth, the only Grizzly runs of the game.
