LIBERAL, Kan. – Butler baseball suffered a tough series loss as the Seward Saints swept the Sunday doubleheader in Liberal, winning 15-14 in game one and 7-6 in game two at Brent Gould Field.
The Grizzlies (27-20, 16-8 KJCCC) dropped the series to the Saints (25-22, 13-11) as they won game one and then dropped three straight. It marks the first time since March 28th and 30th the Grizzlies dropped multiple games in a row as they lost three straight to Cowley.
Butler has no midweek contest this coming week. They kick off a conference series on Thursday at Dodge City with the Conquistadors.
Game 1: Seward 15, Butler 14
Game one was an offensive affair that saw Butler post four innings of multiple runs. Five Grizzlies finished with multiple hits led by Justin Hudson's three hits and two RBI.
Bradyn McClure got the start for Butler on the mound and allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings of work, striking out four and walking two.
The game saw multiple lead changes and the Grizzlies went to the bottom of the seventh with a 14-13 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Seward sent a run home on a failed pickoff from Butler reliever Jack Haag (L, 0-2). The next batter hit an RBI single to walk the game off as Seward took it 15-14.
Garrett Fager drove in a team-high tying three runs while Charlie Marcantel also drove in three with two hits.
Seward was led by Todd Baffa's five RBI on three hits. Nathan Hopkins finished 4-5 at the plate.
Game 2: Seward 7, Butler 6
A four run third inning was not enough for the Grizzlies to force a split as Seward used a five run sixth to come away with a 7-6 win in game two.
Butler got a strong pitching performance from starting pitcher Caden Hinther as he tossed 5.1 innings allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits. He allowed traffic in the sixth and was pulled for Dayton Pelfrey (L, 4-1) who threw the final 2.2 innings.
Butler's Taber Stokes mashed a three-run home run in the third inning to put the Grizzlies ahead 4-0.
The Grizzlies took a 5-1 lead into the sixth before the Saints used a three-run home run of their own as well as a solo home run and another run driven in to give them a 6-5 lead.
After the Grizzlies tied it 6-6 in the eighth, Seward's Nathan Hopkins hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth on the first pitch of the inning to give the Saints their second walk-off win of the day.
Butler's Justin Hudson had another strong game at the plate with two hits and two RBI. Charlie Marcantel also added a team-high three hits to go with an RBI.
