Grizzlies Split With Seward, Take Series 3-1

LIBERAL, Kan. – The Butler Grizzlies split with the Seward Saints on Saturday from Brent Gould Field to take the series 3-1.

The Grizzlies (26-23, 15-13 KJCCC) dropped game one to Seward (23-31, 15-13) 8-3 but bounced back in game 2 8-4 to take close out the series 3-1. 

Game 1 (7 inn.) - Seward 8, Butler 3

Seward led for the entierty of game one, scoring four runs through the first two innings to the Grizzlies zero. The Grizzlies got on the board in the top half of the fifth inning after Yusei Uzawa hit a three-run home run to right field, scoring Brady Todd and Jarren Hay to cut the deficit to 4-3. Seward responded by scoring two runs in the bottom half of the inning, and two more in the bottom half of the sixth and closing the game out with a 8-3 game one victory. 

The Grizzlies managed only six hits in the contest to Seward's 13. 

Whitley Rhodes (L, 3-4) suffered the loss on the mound for the Grizzlies. Rhodes threw five innings and allowed 11 hits, five earned runs and struck out one batter. 

Game 2 (9 inn.) - Butler 8, Seward 4

The Grizzlies closed out the series with a 8-4 victory in game number two of the day. Butler scored two runs in the opening inning after Uzawa scored on a passed ball, and later a Logan Hicks RBI single that scored Blake Rogers. 

Butler added two more runs in the third after an RBI single from Amarion Sailer, scoring Hicks and Jackson Ellison. In the fourth, Uzawa homered for the second time on the day, this time a solo homer to put the Grizzlies up 5-0. Seward finally got on the board in the bottom half of the fifth, putting up three runs in the inning to trim the deficit to 5-3. 

In the top half of the seventh, Jackson Ellison doubled to left center field, scoring Brady Todd to increase the Grizzly lead to 6-3. The Grizzlies put the game out of reach in the ninth when Ellison singled to right field to score Kaleb Nye and Uzawa, icing the game 8-4. 

Butler recorded 11 hits in 33 at bats, and the Grizzly pitching staff held Seward to only eight. Ellison was a perfect 3-3 at the plate, scoring one run, three RBI, and walked twice. Uzawa went 2-3 with three runs and one RBI, while Logan Hicks, Amarion Sailer, and Brady Todd each had two hits. 

The Grizzly pitching staff recorded 10 strikeouts on the day. Andrew Dechaine threw four innings and gave up only four hits and zero runs. Luke Schmitt (W, 2-1) earned the win for the Grizzlies. Schmitt threw 1.2 innings and allowed one earned run, while Connor Robinson earned the save. 

By winning the series 3-1 and now both Butler and Seward owning a 15-13 conference record, the Grizzlies hold the tie breaker and currently sit in third place in the Jayhawk Conference standings. 

Next up: The Grizzlies host Allen County on Monday from McDonald Stadium for a non-conference nine-inning game. First pitch is set for noon.