Cordova hits walkoff homerun as Grizzlies win 11th straight KJCCC Crown
The Butler Grizzlies claimed their 11th consecutive Jayhawk Conference title with a sweep of the Garden City Broncbusters at East Park on Saturday, winning game one 25-6 before picking up a 9-0 win in game two.
It was Sophomore Day for the Butler Grizzlies as Madi Young, Emily and Sydney Adler, Gentry Shepherd, Alex Olson, Haley Garnett, Gianna De Luca-Paape, Mariah Wheeler and Ari Cordova all played their final games at East Park.
Game One
It was a sensational fourth inning for the Grizzlies. Butler put 13 runs across the board, hit six homers, and put 17 different batters on the plate in the slugfest of an inning. The Grizzlies totaled eight home runs in game one. Ari Cordova and Gianna De Luca-Paape both hit two home runs in the game, and Emily Adler, Mariah Wheeler, Briona Woods and Kendyl Anderson also went yard. Cordova was the star of the game, going 4-5 at the plate and hitting a grand slam, finishing with 11 RBIs.
Emma Koeneke improved to 20-1 on the year as she pitched two innings and gave up only two runs on one hit, striking out three batters.
Game Two
Cordova continued her incredible day, as the sophomore from Colorado stepped up to the plate in her final at bat at East Park and promptly hit a walk off two run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, sending Madi Young home and ending the doubleheader in run rule fashion.
Cordova finished the day with a total of three home runs and 14 RBIs. Madi Young, in the last home game of a three year career that will go down in Butler history as one of the most successful ever, plated two RBIs and became the nation's leader in doubles. The Grizzlies scored nine runs on 10 hits in the victory.
Allyson Montgomery improved to 19-0 on the year, pitching only two innings. Koeneke and Kendal LeGrand made relief appearances and combined to secure the shutout, as the three freshmen pitchers combined for seven strikeouts.
The Grizzlies secure the conference title and the top seed in next week's Region VI tournament in Dodge CIty on Friday. They will improve their record to 42-2 on the year and 19-1 in conference play. Butler will head to Arkansas City for a nonconference game against the Cowley Tigers on Monday before heading to Legends Park for the tournament on Friday.
