WICHITA, Kan. – Butler baseball dropped its Plains District Tournament first round contest 9-3 to No. 1 ranked Johnson County on Wednesday afternoon at Eck Stadium.
Butler (32-26) has a quick turnaround as they are set to take on Cloud County at 1 p.m. on Thursday in an elimination game. Johnson County (49-10) advances to play Kansas City Kansas CC on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinal round.
Johnson threatened in the first inning, loading the bases as the first three batters of the game reached on a double, a walk and a bunt single. Grizzly starting pitcher Caden Kickhaefer (L, 9-4) responded with three consecutive strikeouts to get out of the inning unscathed.
BSB vs. Johnson | E1 | Plains District Tourney
— Butler Grizzlies (@ButlerGrizzlies) May 15, 2024
After Johnson loads the bases with no outs, Kickhaefer strikes out the next 3 batters ������#RoarGrizz�� pic.twitter.com/cKPOJpMepu
Kickhaefer threw a scoreless second with two more strikeouts and momentum seemed to be trending towards the Grizzlies as they loaded the bases in the top of the third with just one out. The opportunity was missed as the next two batters struck out and lined out to end the inning.
The Cavaliers broke through in the third inning with two runs on a Miken Miller two run double to left field that hit off of Grizzly left fielder Breon Horne's glove. They followed that up with a four run fourth that chased Kickhaefer as Bradyn McClure entered with the bases loaded and no outs after Johnson had scored on a bases loaded walk. Kickhaefer threw 3.0 innings allowing five earned runs on five hits, striking out five and walking four. An infield fielder's choice and sacrifice bunt plated the next two runs for JCCC and another Miller RBI base hit made it 6-0.
McClure threw the middle 3.0 innings for Butler allowing just one run on five hits.
The Grizzlies got on the board with two runs in the fifth. Taber Stokes took a bases loaded walk for an RBI to make it 6-1 and Micah Kobuszewski made it 6-2 with an RBI infield groundout.
Both teams were scoreless in the sixth. The seventh saw Butler cut the deficit to three at 6-3 as Charlie Marcantel scored Kobuszewski from second with a two out single up the middle.
BSB vs. Johnson | T7 | Plains District Tourney
— Butler Grizzlies (@ButlerGrizzlies) May 15, 2024
Grizzlies are within 3️⃣ now as Marcantel drives in Kobuszewski with a single up the middle#RoarGrizz�� pic.twitter.com/N8PCfx2tba
Johnson immediately squashed out the Butler threat with three runs in the seventh off four hits with the 9-3 lead being enough to close the game out.
Kage Ralstin threw the final 2.0 innings for Butler allowing two runs on three hits, walking two with one strikeout.
Jaron Brown was 2-4 with a walk and run scored for Butler. Stokes also finished 2-4 with an RBI. Marcantel was the third Grizzly to finish with two hits as he was 2-3 with an RBI.
Butler was outhit 13-8. Each team struck out seven times.
JCCC starting pitcher Ryan Borberg went 4.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits, striking out five and walking four. John Chambers (W, 5-1) earned the win in relief allowing just one run across five innings, scattering five hits and striking out two.
Offensively Johnson was led by Jack Mosh who was 3-4 with two RBI while Miller drove in three runs and Jake McClure drove in two.
Butler will now take on a Cloud County squad tomorrow that they played less than two weeks ago to close the regular season out. The season series between the two is tied 2-2 as both teams swept home doubleheaders. Cloud County lost their first round matchup to KCKCC, 3-1, on Wednesday evening.
