Butler Softball completes week of winning with dominant sweep of Garden City

Story by Kalon Fullerton

The Butler Grizzlies finished the week unbeaten with a dominant two game series against the Garden City Broncbusters at East Park in El Dorado on Saturday. The Grizzlies won the first game of the day by a score of 16-2 before cementing the sweep with a 25-0 win in game two.

The Grizzlies scored four runs in the first inning of the first game followed by two in the second before a huge nine running in the third. Ryanna Valdivia hit a two run homer in the third, before Kendyl Anderson hit a grand slam later in the inning. The Grizzlies totaled 17 hits, with nine different players getting on base. 

Allyson Montgomery earned the victory, her 10th of the year. She went four innings allowing just one earned run, while striking out six batters.

It was the Kendyl Anderson show again in game two, as she hit her second grand slam of the day in the first inning. Anderson hit her second home run of the first inning and her third home run of the day with another blast to right field. Reese Briggs also homered in the inning as the Grizzlies totaled 13 runs in the inning, the highest run total in one inning this season. Anderson was not done however, hitting her third home run of the game and her fourth of the day in the second inning. The Grizzlies totaled five home runs in the game. Anderson finished the day with seven RBIs and three hits, and upped her home run total to 11 on the year, which leads the team. Butler's 25 runs was the most they've scored this season, and they finished with 26 hits. It's been an explosive week for the Grizzlies, as they've scored 20 runs or more in three of the last four games, and they've now outscored opponents by a total of 102-8 in the past six games. 

Ariel Matula, Emma Koeneke, and Cheyenne Handsaker combined for a no-hitter in game two. This was Handsaker's first action in a game this season. Game two was the Grizzlies second no-hitter this season, the other coming against Pratt in this years home opening doubleheaderIt was Handsaker's first action in a game this season.

The Grizzlies improve to 21-7 on the season and are now 12-2 in conference play. They've won their last six games and will stay home for another conference doubleheader, facing the Seward Saints for two games at East Park on Wednesday.