Butler with 13 shutout innings in doubleheader sweep at Colby
COLBY, Kan. — The Butler softball team remained undefeated in conference play, snapping Colby's 10-game winning streak while extending their own to 26 games with a doubleheader sweep on Wednesday at the Carl Adams Softball Field.
Butler run-ruled the Trojans 8-0 in Game 1 behind a one-hit shutout by Celina Sullivan, then outlasted Colby 3-0 in Game 2. The shutout sweep was the third overall and second sweep in conference play for the Grizzlies this season.
Butler (35-3 overall, 20-0 conference) remains alone in first place in the Jayhawk Conference, while Colby (29-9, 12-6) sits in third place in the league standings. With the two conference wins, the Grizzlies also extended their regular season conference winning streak to 67 games.
Butler will continue its road swing with a doubleheader on Sunday at Dodge City. The doubleheader was to be played on Saturday, but has been moved back a day due to weather forecasts.
Game 1 - Butler 8, Colby 0 (6 innings)
Celina Sullivan (13-1) went the distance in the pitcher's circle, allowing just one hit while posting her second straight complete-game shutout. In the process, she ran her scoreless inning streak to 30 innings over her past six starts.
Offensively, Butler scored one run in the second inning as Abi Cole doubled and went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Celina Sullivan. Caylie Kifer bunted for a hit, but the throw to first was wide of the bag and sailed into right field, allowing Cole to score.
Butler then got a solo home run from Alexis Reed in the fourth inning to push the lead to 2-0.
In the fifth inning, Butler scored two more as Reed drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run, then Reagan Wilson flew out to left, allowing Kenzie Young to score on the sacrifice fly to make it a 4-0 game.
Butler would score four more in the top of the sixth. The first run came when Kifer singled to center to score pinch-runner Midge Wurts. The final three runs came on a home run by Kenzie Young, which extended her hitting streak to 25 consecutive games.
Game 2 - Butler 3, Colby 0
Butler pitcher Maddie Siemer and Colby's Mahealani Haegele locked into a pitcher's dual with the game being scoreless through the first four innings.
Butler finally broke through with two runs in the top of the fifth, with both runs coming on outs – Shalee Brantley had a groundout to short allowing Reagan Wilson to score from third, then Brianna Robinson flied out to left bring in Caylie Kifer.
Leading 2-0, Siemer was relieved after throwing five shutout innings. Megan Johnson came on and threw the final two innings to complete the shutout as Colby had just two hits in the game.
Butler would get an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Kifer doubled down the left-field line to lead off the inning, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kenzie Young, who saw her 25-game hitting streak end as she went 0-for-1 with two walks.
Siemer improved to 15-2 on the year with the win, while Johnson earned her second save of the season.
NOTES: The Game 2 win marked the 599th win at Butler for head coach Doug Chance... During her 25-game hitting streak, Young hit. 539 (41-of-76) with 12 home runs, 47 runs batted in, six doubles, five triples and scored 40 runs. Young's overall average climbed from .296 to .476 over that span... Butler has now won 39 straight games against Colby, with the last loss coming in a 6-5 defeat on Apr. 2, 2010.