Grizzlies roll in opening round, defeat Trinity Valley 10-2 in six-innings

The Butler softball team picked up their 50^th win of the season and it came on a 10-2 run rule win over Trinity Valley in the opening round of the NJCAA Div. I Softball National Tournament.

This is the Grizzlies first run rule win in the National Tournament since the opening round of the 2018 tournament when they beat Walters State 9-1 in 5-innings. This game was also the fewest runs allowed in a national tournament game (2) since the 2018 quarterfinal against Florida Southwestern where they gave up just two. 

Butler sought their revenge Tuesday night in Arizona as Trinity Valley was one of the Grizzlies two losses this season as the Cardinals defeated Butler 7-3 back in late January at the San Antonio tournament.

The Grizzlies jumped out early plating four runs in the second inning to take a 4-0 lead. Mariah Wheeler drove in one of her four RBI's in the game with a single that scored Ari Cordova. Anna Icenhower followed that up with an RBI triple that put Wheeler across the plate. RBI singles from Sydney Adler and Shayna Espy would bring home the next two runs in the inning. Trinity Valley scored one in the third off a solo homerun and another in the top of the fifth, that cut into the lead but any momentum they garnered would be halted by the Grizzlies bottom of the fifth.

Back-to-back hit by pitches would put Emily Adler and Ari Cordova on the base paths. Mariah Wheeler stepped into the box and then proceed to call time. She was not granted it by the home plate umpire and the pitch came in and Wheeler sent it over the fence for a three-run homer to put Butler up 7-2. Madi Young, the nation's leader in doubles, added another to her lead hitting an RBI double later in the fifth that scored Icenhower. She tried to stretch it into a triple but Johnson, the runner at third, held up and Young had to dive back into second. A Shayna Espy RBI single that scored Johnson would finish out the inning, now with the Grizzlies leading 9-2.

Erickson kept the Cards off the board in the sixth which then set up a chance at a walk off win in the bottom of the sixth with the Grizzlies just one run away a run rule.

Ari Cordova walked to start off the inning and then the Cardinals were able to get a strikeout and a fly out. It appeared as if the game would go into the seventh but then Cordova stole second to put a runner in scoring position. Anna Icenhower then hit a single that scored Cordova to end the game with the Grizzlies winning 10-2.

Maddie Redman picked up win number 25 on the season after her four innings of work in the game. Redman allowed just one run (a solo homerun) on three, hits striking out seven batters and walking one. Izzy Erickson came in relief and pitch two innings giving up just one run off three hits. She struck out three, walked none in her 8 batters faced.

Shayna Espy was 3 for 4 at the plate with two RBI's and a stolen base. Mariah Wheeler went 2 for 4 with 4 RBI's and a 3-run homerun in the 5th inning, her 14^th of the season. Icenhower was 2 for 3 with a triple and two RBI's including driving in the winning run in the bottom of the 6th inning. Madi Young had a double and an RBI while Cordova scored was walked twice, hit by a pitch and was able to steal three bases and score three runs in the game.

This marks the first victory over Trinity Valley since March 2, 2018 where Butler won 3-1 in a regular season matchup with the Cardinals. 

NEXT UP: No. 2-seeded Butler (50-2) will take their 46-game streak up against the No. 10-seed Three Rivers (43-4) on Wednesday, May 26^th in the next round of the NJCAA Div. I Softball National Tournament. First pitch is set for 4:00pm MST and 6:00pm CT. Three Rivers defeated Yavapai 7-4 in their opening round game.