The Butler Baseball team won their first game of the 2021 season 14-8 over Seminole College (OK) and fell in the night game to No. 6 ranked Crowder College (MO) 12-9.
Game one saw the Grizzlies take an 8-3 lead after three innings. Seminole put together a comeback climbing within one run in the top of the 8th, but a six-run bottom of the 8th for the Grizzlies gave them enough insurance to withstand any type of comeback by the Seminoles in the final inning. Butler took game one of the season 14-8.
Cesar Garcia finished 2-4 with three RBI's while Cache Stone also knocked in three runs in the win. Noah Argenta, Cache Stone, Cesar Garcia and Jonah Cox all hit a double in the game while Bryce Zimmerer recorded the only stolen base for Butler in the game.
Nate Adler remaind undefeated in his Butler pitching career picking up the win in the season opener. Adler pitched 3.0 innings while allowing three runs, one earned, off three hits. He struck out 5 and walked one.
Game two saw the Grizzlies in a tough bout with No. 6 ranked Crowder College out of Neosho, Missouri. Butler jumped out early with a four-run first inning. After a scoreless first inning, Crowder settled in and scored at least one run in each of the next five innings. They tied the game up in the third inning and took the lead in the fourth.
Butler tied it back up in the top half of the fifth, but a three-run bottom half gave Crowder the lead back. Again, the Grizzlies would tie the game in the top of the sixth, but another three-run inning in the bottom of the sixth for Crowder would give them a lead the Grizzlies couldn't overcome in their final three outs.
Josh Cameron finished 2-4 with two RBI's. Cache Stone had another two-RBI game and also scored a run in the contest. Butler struggled at the plate striking out 11 times in the game. They left seven on base, and three in the final inning.
Braden Meek got the start on the mound throwing two complete innings. He gave up three runs off two hits. He struck out four and walked four. Zach Chiolis was credited with the loss as Corwder took the lead off a three-run homerun.
NEXT UP: Butler will head to Arkansas City on Thursday for a double-header with KJCCC East opponent Cowley in two non-conference games. Games will begin at 1:00pm. They will host their home opener on Saturday, February 27 in a double-header with Cowley starting at 1:00pm.
