OTTUMWA, Iowa – Another doubleheader with the Indian Hills Warriors, another split as No. 11-ranked Butler softball fell 7-5 in the first game on Sunday at R.L. Hellyer Softball Field before winning game two 4-0.
Butler (40-8) picked up its 40th win of the season in the fourth game of the weekend as the Grizzlies and Warriors (27-19) also split a doubleheader on Saturday. Excluding the covid-shortened 2020 season, the Grizzlies have now won 40 or more games in eight consecutive seasons.
Butler has just four games remaining in the regular season as they host Colby on Wednesday at East Park before welcoming Seward to El Dorado on Saturday as the Grizzly sophomores get recognized pregame.
Game 1: Indian Hills 7, Butler 5
Butler led for 5 innings before an Indian Hills grand slam in the sixth inning put the Warriors on top for good.
The Grizzlies jumped out to a 4-0 lead plating two runs in each of the first two innings. Indian Hills had three unanswered runs from the bottom of the second to the fourth to pull within one at 4-3.
It looked as if Butler would be in good shape as they plated an insurance run in the top of the sixth as Madison Nightingale hit a ball that smacked the top of the wall in center field, nearly missing out on a home run but scoring JaKeyla McDaniel to make it 5-3.
In the bottom of the sixth Indian Hills' Ella Daugherity hit a two out grand slam that saw the Warriors lead by two, 7-5.
Cheyenne Handsaker (L, 16-4) took her second loss in two games in the circle for Butler. She allowed six earned runs in 7.0 innings, striking out three and walking one. Indian Hills used two pitchers with Claire Tipton starting and throwing 4.0 innings. Alivia Ruble (W, 3-2) threw the final 3.0 and picked up the win allowing a lone run.
Offensively Butler was led by McDaniel and Claire Lopez who each had two hits. Lopez, Chloe Cardona, Aly Hageman and Alivia Darbe all drove in a run.
Game 2: Butler 4, Indian Hills 0
Game two was a different story as freshman pitcher Addy Ewing (W, 10-0) spun a complete game (7.0 IP) shutout. She allowed seven hits and struck out one.
Butler plated all four runs in the second inning highlighted by a two-run double from Kory Schoenfeld.
Indian Hills starter Ashlynn Sheets (L, 9-9) suffered the loss after allowing four runs in 4.0 innings.
