The Butler Baseball team wrapped up the regular season on Saturday on the road against Pratt taking the sweep winning 4-0 in game one and 9-8 in game two.
The Grizzlies (31-13, 20-12) close out the regular season in a three way tie for second place in the Jayhawk West with Seward and Barton, all teams at 20-12 in KJCCC play. Seward has the best record against the tied teams giving them the two seed in the West with Butler now the three seed and they will play in the Sub-Regional hosted by East No. 2 Johnson County next weekend. The Sub-Regional is made up of Johnson County, Butler, Coffeyville and Garden City.
Butler scored their four runs early plating two in the first and then two more in the third off a two-run homerun by Sam Siegel taking the 4-0 lead, a lead that would stand the remainder of the game.
Nate Adler, Grizzly starter picked up the win, his fourth of the season, pitching five innings in the 4-0 victory giving up no runs off three hits. Adler walked three and struck out five. Adler had good relief out of the bullpen from Corbin Talley and Zach Nagel. Talley and Nagel didn't allow a hit in the final two innings closing out the Beavers and finishing the shutout.
Sam Siegel was 2-2 with two walks, a homerun and two RBI's while Noah Argenta had a double going 2-4 with two RBI's and a run scored. Josh Cameron was the other Grizzly to drive home a run in the win.
Game two was weighted more on the offensive side as both teams mustered up double digit hits, Barton with 11 and Butler with 10. The Grizzlies skated by holding on by a thread as Pratt stranded two in the eighth and Zach Nagle retired the side in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game picking up his fourth save of the year.
Braxton Hyde got the start, but it was Bradly Bilek picking up the win, his second win of the season. Butler threw five total arms in the game with giving up eight runs, just three earned, walking four and striking out a combined eight batters in the game.
Butler had the upper hand early as the scored four runs in the first inning, two coming off an RBI single by Noah Argenta, one score off a wild pitch and another off a Cache Stone sac fly to right field.
Pratt did have an answer in the third plating five to take their first lead of the game. The Butler defense had some issues as they committed seven errors in the game, three in the third allowing the Beavers to score five runs, just two were earned in the inning.
Butler had an answer in the top of four with a Jaren Jackson solo homerun, a Josh Cameron sac fly, and Bryce Zimmerer and Jonah Cox coming around to score off two throwing errors by the Beavers.
Pratt scored one in the fourth, seventh and eight but it would be enough as the Grizzlies finished out the series taking three of four.
Both Jonah Cox and Bryce Zimmerer went 3-5 in the game. Cox scored three runs and had a stolen base while Zimmerer scored twice with an RBI and a stolen bag. Noah Argenta drove in two runs off two hits with one run scored. Jaren Jackson hit his third homerun of the season for his only hit of the contest.
NEXT UP: Butler will head to Johnson County this weekend for the Sub-Regional round of the Region VI Tournament. Game times yet to be determined and will be posted as soon as they are announced.
