Grizzly bats come alive in conference opening sweep of Seward

Story by Wyatt Ebersole

The Butler Softball team collected a pair of dominant victories over Seward County on Saturday afternoon to open up conference play. The Grizzlies improved their record to 4-4 on the year and start 2-0 in Jayhawk Conference play. With the pair of losses, Seward drops to 2-12 and 0-2 in conference play.

Game 1

The Grizzlies began conference play this year with a bang. Defeating Seward County 7-1 in a smashing victory. The Saints and Grizzlies both stranded runners in the first inning, but the Grizzlies went to work at the plate in the top of the second. Freshman Cady Dickey launched her first collegiate home run over the fence with a drive to left center field to open the scoring in the second inning. Aly Hageman would follow up the Cady homer by drawing a walk, then stealing second, and finally coming around to score on an RBI single from Amayiah Hall to double the Grizzly lead. Jakeyla McDaniel would then hit her second triple of the season that she would later score on to put the Grizzlies up 3-0 in the second. The Grizzlies would continue their success at the plate in the top of the third, capitalizing on Seward mistakes and errors. Briona Woods was the first Grizzly to reach home in the third, scoring on a passed ball. Cady Dickey found her way home for the second time in the game on another RBI single from Amayiah Hall, and Aly Hageman came in to score on a wild pitch that put the Grizzlies up 6-0 after three and a half innings. Seward found a run in the bottom half of the inning, but Briona Woods had a quick answer, crushing a ball over the fence in center field. The Grizzlies rode this early offense, along with a dominant performance in the circle from Allyson Montgomery to win 7-1 in game one. 

Montgomery was fantastic, throwing six innings, allowing just one run on one hit and tallying a season-high 10 strikeouts, all swinging.

Amayiah Hall had a great game at the plate, going 3/4 with two RBI's and tallied two stolen bases. 

Briona Woods went 2/3, highlighted by her solo homer to center. Jakeyla McDaniel also finished 2/3, highlighted by her triple to left in the second inning.

Game 2

The Grizzlies began game two much like game one, a big scoring second inning to start the game. It started with a leadoff double by Briona Woods and followed by a double by Kendyl Anderson to bring in Briona to score the first run of game two. After Madi Divis drew a walk, freshman Aly Hageman doubled down the right field line to bring in Anderson, putting the Grizzlies up 2-0. Amayiah Hall recorded her fourth single of the day and tallied her third RBI with a single that scored Divis from third and made it 3-0 Grizzlies. Jakeyla McDaniel reached on an error that allowed Hageman to score and a follow up RBI groundout by Kaylah Newman scored Hall. Ryanna Valdivia capped off the big scoring inning with an RBI single to right to bring in McDaniel to make it 6-0 Grizzlies.

Amayiah Hall added to her impressive day in the third with another RBI single, this time a two out, two-RBI single to score Hageman and Anderson to make it 8-0 Butler.  

Another three Grizzly runs came to the plate in the top of the fourth. The speedy Kaylah Newman scored on a wild pitch, Ryanna Valdivia came in to score on another RBI double from Kendyl Anderson, and Anderson herself came in to score on a double by Hageman. 

In the fifth inning, Jakeyla McDaniel notched another triple that she came in to score on from an RBI groundout by Newman, Kaylah's second RBI of the game. After a Ryanna Valdivia double, it was Anderson again driving a runner in, scoring Ryanna to make it 13-2 Grizzlies and tally her third RBI of the game.

Emma Koeneke put up her best performance of the season in the game two win. Going four innings allowing two runs on six hits and setting three Saints down on strikes. 

Anderson finished the game going 3/3 with two doubles, three RBIs, and three runs scored. Aly Hageman also finished 3/3 recording three double, two RBIs, and two runs scored.

Amayiah Hall was the best Grizzly batter in the two games combined. The sophomore from Liberty, Missouri finished the day going 5/6 with five RBIs.

Next action for the Grizzlies is this next Tuesday when they travel to Labette to clash with the Cardinals at 2/4 PM. 

NOTES: Butler is 62-15 against Seward since 2005 and are 16-2 at Seward since 2011…Butler has not lost to Seward since May 7th, 2017…Since the loss to Murray State, the Grizzly pitchers have been excellent, allowing just five earned runs over their last four games…The 11 runs scored in game two by the Grizzlies are their most runs in a game this season and most since they scored 15 in game one against McCook in the district championship last year…Game two was the first run-rule win for the Grizzlies this year