EL DORADO, Kan. – The Butler softball team clinched at least a share of the 2012 Jayhawk West Conference championship with a dominating doubleheader sweep of Garden City on Saturday at East Park.
The Grizzlies defeated the Broncbusters by scores of 9-0 in the first game and 10-0 in the second game. Both games were called in the fifth inning due to run-rule. Butler has won nine games in a row
With the wins, Butler is now 31-15 on the season and is 12-2 in Jayhawk West Conference play. The Grizzlies lead second-place Seward County (10-4) by two games in the standings with each team having two games to play. Butler needs to win just one of its two games on Wednesday at Barton County to take the title outright.
Butler has now won the Jayhawk West title two straight years and five times in the past seven years dating back to 2006.
GAME 1
Mac Millspaugh threw five shutout innings, allowing just three hits with four strikeouts and no walks as Garden City could only manage three hits.
Butler's bats were shut out for the first two innings, but finally broke through in the third inning with two runs scoring on a single by Ashley Malone.
The Grizzlies then exploded offensively in the fourth inning, scoring seven runs. Kelci Garza had a two-run homer run and Kaitlyn Wolken hit a three-run home run in the inning while Abby Furstenberg drove in two runs with a single.
Mac Millspaugh hit two doubles for Butler, scoring each time.
GAME 2
Starting pitcher Kelsey Berlin and reliever Heather Ryder combined for Butler's second shutout of the day and the third for the Grizzlies in their past four games. Garden City was held to just one hit, which came early in the first inning. The Broncbusters did not get a runner past second base.
Butler scored its first two runs on hits by Ashley Malone. She drove in the first run in the first inning with a triple to center field, then hit a single back up the middle in the third inning for the second run to score.
Alex Millspaugh led the Grizzlies with five RBI in the contest, including a bases-loaded double and a two-run home run. Kelsey Berlin also hit a home run for Butler, giving the Grizzlies four homers on the day. Alyssa Aguilar also had an RBI for the Grizzlies.