Butler softball extended its winning streak to 18 games with a pair of run-rule victories over Pratt on Wednesday afternoon at East Park.
The Grizzlies (33-4 overall, 13-1 conference) maintained their first-place lead in the Jayhawk West with a 10-2 win in the opener, then shut out the Beavers 18-0 in the second game.
With the two wins, Butler remained undefeated at home, moving to 15-0 overall in games played at East Park. During the 18-game winning streak, the Grizzlies have recorded 13 wins by run-rule - including 10 of the last 12 contests.
Butler will be on the road Monday for a conference doubleheader at Garden City, then head to Colby on Tuesday.
Butler 10, Pratt 2 - 5 innings
Pratt's Maddie Daily put the visitors up 2-0 with a two-run home run in the top of the third inning, but Butler quickly answered with six runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Becca Schulte opened the Grizzly scoring with an RBI single to score Megan Wurts, then Schulte later scored when Danae Bina was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Mikayla Waggnor cleared the bases with a double to left-center to give Butler a 5-2 lead. Tyesha Morgan added an RBI single up the middle to bring in Waggnor.
Schulte added a solo home run in the fourth inning, then Morgan added a two-run home run in the fifth as the Grizzlies took a 9-2 lead. With two outs, Chloe Holman singled to center, moved to second on a passed ball and then third on a wild pitch. Holman then ended the game scoring on a dropped infield fly, giving Butler a run-rule victory.
Waggnor and Morgan led the Grizzlies with three RBI each, while Schulte, Morgan and Morgan Heckart had two hits each. Jennifer Hittinger improved to 15-1 on the season with a complete-game three-hitter and striking out six batters.
Butler 18, Pratt 0 - 5 innings
Butler pounded out 17 hits and nine extra-base hits - including four home runs - while limiting Pratt to just one hit.
The Grizzlies jumped out to a 7-0 lead after one inning, with Danae Bina providing the big hit with a three-run triple. Morgan Bohanan added a two-run single in the inning.
Butler then put together a nine-run third inning with home runs from Bohanan and Amelia Cutchlow. Bohanan hit a two-run blast down the right-field line, while Cutchlow ended the scoring with a three-run home run to right.
Becca Schulte and Raven Bass added solo home runs in the fourth. Schulte has now hit six home runs in the past six games and leads the Grizzlies with 11 on the season.
Regan Mergele and Brynn Minor combined on the one-hitter, with Mergele (16-3) earning the win while striking out five. Minor added one inning in relief with a strikeout.
Morgan Bohanan went 3-for-3 with two runs and four RBI, while Danae Bina drove in three runs. Each starter in the lineup scored at least one run and six players scored two runs each.
