COLBY, Kan. - The Butler softball team stayed atop the Jayhawk West standings on Friday with a pair of run-rule victories at Colby.
Butler (25-6 overall) hammered the host Trojans 18-5 and 11-0, moving to 11-1 in conference play with four conference games left. The Grizzlies, ranked seventh in this week's NJCAA Division I softball poll, hold a three-game lead over Seward County (38-9, 7-3).
Along with a steady hit attack, the Grizzlies stole a combined 21 bases in the doubleheader - including a season-high 12 thefts in the second game.
Game 1 - Butler 18, Colby 5 (5 innings)
Butler jumped out to a 10-0 lead after two innings, then added four runs each in the last two innings of play to beat Colby in the opening game.
The Grizzlies pounded out 15 hits and stole nine bases in the win. Jillian Navarrete led Butler offensively, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI. Samantha Reiss went 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI, while Ashton Atwell hit a two-run home run. Sydnee Eck also had a two-hit game, scoring twice and stealing three bases.
Game 2 - Butler 11, Colby 0 (6 innings)
The Grizzlies only lead 1-0 after two innings of play, but scored two runs in innings 3-5 and added four more in the sixth to complete the run-rule victory.
Sydnee Eck tossed four innings of one-hit ball and struck out six to earn her 18th win of the season. Eck also did damage with the bat, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and driving in three.
Kate James and Kendra Houston both had three hits in the contest, while Aujanae McCoy went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Butler used speed on the basepaths again in the second game, stealing a season-high 12 stolen bases. Eck and Ashton Atwell each stole three bases, while McCoy and Monica Islava swiped two each.