EL DORADO, Kan. – Butler baseball forced a doubleheader split with the Cowley Tigers at McDonald Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Butler's (18-14) Cole Murrell lifted a walkoff solo home run in the ninth inning of game two to give the Grizzlies a 9-8 win. They avoided the series sweep as Cowley (23-9) won game one 9-4 after previously taking two games in Arkansas City on Thursday.
Butler's next action comes at home on Tuesday with Rose State coming to town for a 2 p.m. first pitch.
Game 1: Cowley 9, Butler 4
Cowley got out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and it proved to be too big a hole for the Grizzlies to dig out of as Cowley won 9-4.
Tiger third baseman Keaton Campbell hit a grand slam over the right field wall in the first inning.
Butler got it within a run at 5-4 in the fourth inning as Charlie Marcantel and Jordan Hedrick drove in runs but Cowley plated two runs each in the sixth and seventh to escape with the win.
Bradyn McClure (L, 3-3) got the start for Butler and was tagged with the loss. He went 5.0 innings and allowed five runs on nine hits, striking out two and walking two. He settled in nicely after the first inning grand slam allowing just one run over the next 4.0 innings.
Jack Haag came in for relief of McClure and allowed four runs in 1.1 innings.
Justin Hudson and Marcantel each had two hits to lead the way for Butler offensively. Marcantel drove in two runs.
Cowley's Luke Singleton (W, 4-1) earned the win after throwing 5.0 innings allowing four runs on six hits, striking out six and walking two. Barrett Morgan picked up his fourth save of the season throwing the final 2.0 innings.
Game 2: Butler 9, Cowley 8
Cole Murrell's two out walkoff home run in the ninth sent the Grizzlies to a 9-8 win.
After Brock Toothaker hit into a double play in the second at bat of the ninth inning, it appeared as if the game would head to extras. Murrell, a sophomore from Springfield, Mo, had other plans as he drove a ball down the left field line and over the wall.
WALK IT OFF COLE MURRELL‼️‼️
— Butler Grizzlies (@ButlerGrizzlies) March 30, 2024
The sophomore from Springfield gets a pinch hit in a tie game with 2 outs in the ninth and delivers with a walk-off solo ��#RoarGrizz�� pic.twitter.com/xXaH44AESD
Cowley jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third inning after plating three in the second and two in the third. Butler countered with a six spot in the third to take a 6-5 lead. They led until Cowley plated two runs in the eighth to tie the game 8-8.
Toothaker led Butler with four RBI while Taber Stokes, Micah Kobuszewski and Frank Garcia each had two hits. The Grizzlies used 10 walks in the game to help keep runners on base.
Austin Bagnall got the start on the mound and went 7.0 innings allowing six runs on 11 hits, walking none and striking out four. Dayton Pelfrey (W, 3-0) earned the win throwing the final 2.0 innings allowing no runs on one hit. He struck out two and walked one.
