Grizzlies Score Early and Often, Take 2 From Seward

EL DORADO, Kan. – 17th ranked Butler softball hosted the Seward Saints at East Park on Wednesday afternoon coming away with two wins, 12-3 in game one and 11-0 in game two.

Butler (26-6, 15-5) combined for 21 hits and 23 runs on the afternoon playing just 10 total innings as they run ruled Seward (11-23, 5-15) in five innings in both contests.

The Grizzlies smashed five home runs across the two-game set with Kim Yepez and Kylie Forney each hitting two. Yepez drove in seven runs across both games finishing 4-4 at the plate while Graci Hock continued to cement herself a spot in the lineup going 3-4 at the plate with five RBI and a home run.

In the game one win, Butler jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Yepez and Forney each homered. Seward got on the board with a lone run in the second inning and added two more in the fourth to make it a 4-3 game off a Kynleigh Kirby two-run home run. Butler exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the fourth jumping out to a 12-3 lead that sealed the game with the run rule when Seward did not plate a run in the top of the fourth. Kim Yepez, Jenna Jobe, Kory Schonefeld and Graci Hock each had multiple hits in the game while Chloe Odle (W, 9-3) picked up her ninth win in the circle tossing 4.0 innings allowing three runs, striking out five and walking one. Emillee Stofferahn threw the final inning allowing no runs on two hits, striking out one.

Game two saw Butler pitch a shutout as Ellie Randall (W, 10-1) and Audry Rumsey combined to hold the Saints off the board allowing just four hits in the game. Randall tossed the first 3.0 innings allowing three hits while striking out five and walking none. Rumsey allowed a lone hit in her 2.0 innings of work. The Grizzlies led 1-0 after the first off a Yepez RBI single. They scored four in the second and six in the third to complete the win. Claire Lopez and Kim Yepez were the two Grizzlies with multiple hits.

TOP PERFORMERS GAME 1:

Kim Yepez (Round Rock, TX): 2-2, 3 RBI, 3 R, HR

Jenna Jobe (Vilonia, AR): 2-3, 3 RBI

Kylie Forney (Andover, KS): 1-3, 3 RBI, HR

Kory Schoenfeld (Wichita, KS): 2-3, 2 R, 2 SB

Graci Hock (Cabot, AR): 2-2, 2 RBI, HR

Chloe Odle (Beloit, KS): Win (9-3), 4.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 5 K's, 1 BB

TOP PERFORMERS GAME 2:

Claire Lopez (Olathe, KS): 2-3, R, 2B

Kim Yepez (Round Rock, TX): 2-2, 4 RBI, HR

Graci Hock (Cabot, AR): 1-2, 3 RBI, HR

Ellie Randall (Wichita, KS): Win (10-1), 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 5 K's, 0 BB

NEXT UP:

Butler hits the road for a doubleheader at Colby on Saturday, first pitch at 1 p.m. The Grizzlies will then turn around and play Fort Hays Tech Northwest in Goodland on Sunday with first pitch at 12 p.m. CT.