The Butler softball team opened up the 2013 season with four wins this past weekend at the All Seasons Tournament in McKinney, Texas. The Grizzlies defeated Ranger (Texas) College and Division II runner-up Louisiana State University-Eunice twice over the two-day tourney, including a no-hitter over Ranger in the final game of the weekend.
Butler (4-0) will travel Fort Worth, Texas this weekend for the Cowtown Classic. The Grizzlies, ranked No. 11 in the NJCAA Division I preseason poll, will play six games in the two-day tournament.
GAME 1
Sophomore outfielder/pitcher Kelsey Berlin went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and sophomore Erin Boston drove in four runs as No. 11 Butler opened the season with a dominating 10-2 win over Ranger College on Saturday.
Trailing 2-1 in the fifth inning, the Grizzlies took command of the game with a five-run inning thanks to six consecutive singles. Sydney Stuever opened the inning with a double, then stole third and would score on a groundout. With one out, Kate James, Erin Boston, Ashley Malone and Alex Millspaugh all hit RBI singles to put Butler up 6-2. In the sixth inning, Boston added a three-run triple as the Grizzlies built a 9-2 advantage over Ranger.
Mac Millspaugh and Kelsey Berlin limited Ranger to just four hits over seven innings. Millspaugh threw three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out seven batters. Berlin (1-0) earned the win by going four innings of relief with four strikeouts and allowing two earned runs on three hits.
GAME 2
The Grizzlies needed a five-run fifth inning to defeat Division II No. 4 LSU-Eunice 6-4 in Saturday's second game.
Down 1-0 in the fifth, Alyssa Aguilar hit a one-out RBI double to left to score Alyson Bressie to tie the game. Kelsey Berlin followed with a triple to left to bring home Aguilar to give Butler a 2-1 lead. After Kaitlyn Wolken walked, Kate James doubled to left to score Berlin. Erin Boston would cap the scoring with a two-run double to score James and Wolken.
Sophomore pitcher Maggie Ham (1-0) earned the win with a dominating 13-strikeout complete game performance, including six strikeouts after two innings. Ham allowed four runs - three earned - on five hits and walked four.
GAME 3
On Sunday, the Grizzlies needed a comeback and extra innings to beat LSU-Eunice 6-4 on Sunday.
Trailing 4-2 in the sixth, the Grizzlies would score twice to tie the contest. Kate James and Erin Boston hit consecutive doubles with one out to pull within one run. Tyler Casada then tied the game with a single to left to score Mac Millspaugh, who pinch ran for Boston.
In the top of the eighth with Dominica O'Nelio placed on second base, Caitlin Coody sacrificed O'Nelio over to third, but an errant throw into right field by the pitcher would score O'Nelio. Coody would be thrown out at second on the play. Butler would add an insurance run later in the inning when Ashley Malone hit a two-out RBI single to score Kate James.
Maggie Ham (2-0) provided three innings of relief to get the win, striking out six and allowing just one hit.
GAME 4
Butler sophomore pitchers Kelsey Berlin and Mac Millspaugh combined to no-hit Ranger College in a 7-0 shutout to help the Grizzlies remain undefeated on the young season. The Grizzlies pounded out 13 hits and scored three runs each in the second and sixth innings for the victory.
Facing 16 batters, Berlin (2-0) tossed five innings and allowed just one walk while fanning two hitters. Millspaugh pitched the final two innings and struck out three. Ranger only managed two runners to reach base, but neither runner advanced past first base.
In the second inning, Tyler Casada led off with a single and Ashton Atwell followed with a walk. After two strikeouts, Sydney Stuever hit an RBI single through the left side of the infield to score Casada and move Atwell to third. Berlin would drive in Atwell with a single, while Stuever scored on the play on an error.
Maggie Ham put Butler up 4-0 after four innings with an RBI single up the middle to drive home Alyssa Aguilar. In the sixth, Mac Millspaugh hit an RBI single to score Stuever, who led off with a double and stole third. Five batters later, Atwell drove two runs in with a single to center.