Grizzlies Drop Doubleheader to No. 5 Cloud

EL DORADO, Kan. – The Butler Grizzlies fell in a doubleheader sweep to No. 5 Cloud County on Thursday from McDonald Stadium. 

Game 1 (8 inn.) – Cloud 7, Butler 5

Game one of the doubleheader was originally scheduled as a seven-inning contest, but the Grizzlies battled from start to finish to take the game to extra innings. 

Butler (21-16, 11-7 KJCCC) trailed Cloud (35-4, 19-3) 5-2 entering the bottom half of the seventh and scored three runs in the inning to send the game into the eighth. Alex Coester scored after an RBI single from Yusei Uzawa, and Uzawa then scored after an RBI single from Tanay Vyas, and the Grizzlies tied the game after Jackson Ellison tripled and scored Royce Perkins for the game tying run. 

In the top half of the eighth, Cloud's Vasya Seymour hit a two-run homer to put the Thunderbirds up 7-5. The Grizzlies then proceeded to get three outs to go to the bottom of the eighth down by two runs. 

After the Grizzlies got a runner on first, Kaleb Nye hit a ground ball to the shortstop and Cloud was able to get the lead runner out at second. Cloud closed the game out by striking out a Grizzly batter and recorded a groundout to the shortstop to seal the 7-5 victory. 

The Grizzlies recorded nine hits in 32 at bats, were walked four times and struck out seven times. 

Cloud had nine hits in 35 at bats and had three home runs, two from Seymour. 

Jackson Ellison went 3-4, one RBI and one triple for the Grizzlies. Holden Lough hit a solo homer in the fourth. 

Grizzly starting pitcher Shane Holman threw 6.1 innings and allowed eight hits, five earned runs and struck out four batters. Connor Clark (L, 4-2) suffered the loss for the Grizzlies. Clark threw 1.2 innings and allowed just one hit.

Game 2 (5 inn.) – Cloud 18, Butler 2

The No. 5 ranked Thunderbirds completely owned game 2 from start to finish. Butler starting pitcher George Hobbins injured his ankle in the first inning and was unable to finish the contest. 

Cloud scored six runs in the first and eight in the second to take a 14-0 lead and never looked back. Butler scored five runs in the fifth to avoid the shutout. 

The Grizzlies had eight hits in 24 at bats, and Holden Lough went 3-3 in the contest. Jackson Ellison hit a two-run homer to centerfield, scoring Tanay Vyas. 

Cloud recorded 12 hits in 26 at bats, hit three home runs, and walked seven times. 

Despite injuring his ankle in the first inning, Hobbins (L, 0-3) suffered the loss for the Grizzlies 

Next up: The Grizzlies will be back on the road on Saturday to close out their series with Cloud in Concordia at 1 & 3:30 p.m.