PARSONS, Kan. – Strong pitching and timely hitting lifted the Butler softball team to a sweep a doubleheader against Labette on Thursday in a matchup of two defending conference champions, winning the first game 1-0 and taking the nightcap, 4-2.

A year ago, Butler won the Jayhawk West Conference title and Cardinals won the Jayhawk East. This year, Labette is ranked No. 7 in the preseason NJCAA Division II national poll.

That ranking didn't phase Butler as it rode a spectacular pitching performance from Mac Millspaugh in the first game. The freshman righty struck out the first seven batters she faced and finished with 10 strikeouts to only one walk. The only hit she allowed was a bunt single in the sixth inning.

"Mac has been pitching through some minor soreness and we have been very careful with her early this season," Butler coach Doug Chance said. "Today we saw a glimpse of what she can do when she is healthy."

Meanwhile, Butler would get the only run it needed on an RBI single by Kelci Garza in the second inning.

In the second game

In game two, Butler got another solid pitching performance from sophomore Heather Ryder, but it was the long ball that carried Butler. With a scoreless game in the top of the fourth inning, catcher Alex Millspaugh drove a line-drive two-run homerun over the left field fence straight into the teeth of a 20 mph wind.

Labette came back to even the score at two apiece in the bottom of the fifth with a one- out single to right field. In the top of the seventh with two outs, Rachel Harper singled to bring up Kelsey Berlin. Swinging on the first pitch, Berlin hit the ball over the center field fence to put the Grizzlies up 4-2.

Butler is now 7-6 on the season. The Grizzlies begin conference play with a road trip next Wednesday to Liberal to take on arch-rival Seward County. The first game of the doubleheader starts at 2 p.m.