COLBY, Kan. —XXXX

Gamd 1 - Colby 14, Butler 5

A 10-run Colby third inning along with three home runs from Trojans catcher Cameron Tilly doomed Butler in the opening game.

Butler took a 2-0 lead in the first inning after putting two runners on base with two outs. Keone Givens reached first on an infield error, then Connor Hurst hit a two-out single to right field. Givens scored on an RBI single by Jackson Soule, while Hurst scored on the play after a wild throw by Colby first baseman Christian Roduner to third base.

Colby tied the game in the bottom of the second on consecutive home runs by Blake Gallagher and Tilly.

The Trojans then broke a 2-2 tie in the third after loading the bases with one out. Colby's Matt Coutney hit a routine grounder to second base, but the throw in hopes for an inning-ending double play was just off the bag, which allowed a runner to score from 3rd.

After a bases-loaded walk with two outs brought in another run, Tilly cleared the bases with a grand-slam home run to left-center off Butler starter Ryan Miller. Colby added four more runs with a pair of two-run singles off reliever Dakota Rodd.

Butler grabbed three runs in the fifth behind a Jackson Soule ground-rule RBI double and consecutive RBI signles from Alex Brough and Jack Maki. However, the Grizzlies stranded two runners on base in the inning, then left the bases loaded in the sixth inning.