Butler Baseball Splits Conference Opener with Seward County
The Grizzly Baseball team traveled to Liberal Thursday to open conference play with the Seward County Saints. Seward took game one 4-0 followed by a Grizzly victory 3-1 in game two.
The Grizzly Baseball team traveled to Liberal Thursday to open conference play with the Seward County Saints. Seward took game one 4-0 followed by a Grizzly victory 3-1 in game two.
Game 1
The Butler Grizzlies were unable to make anything happen in game one of the doubleheader as the Saint's starter Brian Luna Alvarez thew a no-hitter in the scheduled seven-inning game.
Izack Tiger started on the mound for the Grizzlies and will take the loss with no run support. Tiger threw five innings giving up four runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Jake Shaults stepped in for one inning of relief and gave up no hits and no runs with one strikeout.
Game 2
The second game of the day offered more excitement for Butler as the Grizzlies defeated the Saints 3-1. A clutch double from Anibal Rivera scored Alan Benhardt in the second inning for an early Grizzly lead. Later, a sacrifice fly from Brock Lummus brought Benhardt in again in the top of the fourth. Finally, a two out rally in the eighth inning brought Justin Hudson in on a Benhardt double to cap the Grizzly score at three runs.
Caden Kickhaefer started on the mound and was one-third inning away from a complete game as he claimed the win for the Grizzlies. In his eight and two thirds' innings of work Kickhaefer gave up only one run on five hits with six strikeouts. The Saints only run of the game came in the bottom of the ninth inning and their late battle was ended as Blake Werry came in to close, striking out the final batter.