Softball Pushes on to Region VI Semifinals With 2 Wins to Open Tournament

DODGE CITY, Kan. – Butler softball outscored its opponents 30-3 on Friday afternoon, taking down Pratt 14-3 and Seward 16-0 in run rule fashion to open the Region VI tournament at Legends Park.

Butler (46-8) has won seven games in a row. They have outscored opponents 58-7 in that span.

The one-seed Grizzlies advance to the semifinal round on Saturday at 4 p.m., taking on two-seed Hutchinson. The Blue Dragons defeated Garden City 16-2 in the opening round and Barton 4-3 in the quarterfinal on Friday.

Game 1: Butler 14, Pratt 3 (5 inn.)

14 runs on 14 hits highlighted by five runs in the second inning and seven in the fourth saw Butler claim a 14-3 win in the first action of the region tournament.

Claire Lopez finished 4-4 with three RBI while Cady Dickey drove in a team-high four RBI to pace Butler's offense. The Grizzlies did not strike out once and walked four times.

Chloe Odle (W, 15-4) earned the win as she started and threw 3.0 innings allowing no runs on two hits, striking out six. Lena Walter threw the final 2.0 innings allowing no earned runs.

Pratt scored its only three runs of the game after a two out error by the Grizzlies in the fourth saw the inning extended. Pratt's Yolanda Aguirre took full advantage with a three-run home run in the next at bat to make it 7-3.

Butler squashed any momentum the Beaver home run brought them as they brought home seven runs in the bottom half of the fourth to take a 14-3 lead. The Grizzlies sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning plating the seven runs off five hits and an error.

Game 2: Butler 16, Seward 0 (5 inn.)

Addy Ewing (W, 11-0) and Alyssa Mude combined for a five-inning shutout of Seward for Butler as they made their way to a 16-0 victory. The Saints finished with just one hit.

Ewing threw the first 3.0 frames allowing no hits or runs, striking out three. Mude threw the final 2.0 allowing a lone hit.

The Grizzlies led 6-0 after two innings but blew the game wide open in the third as they plated nine to make it a 15-0 game.

Aly Hageman drove in a team-high four runs while Kyrsten Moran, Claire Lopez, Kory Schoenfeld and Alivia Darbe each turned in two-hit efforts. Dare knocked two triples while Hageman and Kaylee Raines each homered. Hageman hit her team-leading 12th long ball of the season in the third, a three-run home run to right.

Butler did not strike out in either game Friday.

#KJCCC Find a printable bracket for the D1 SOFTBALL tourney at Legends Park in Dodge City right here:https://t.co/TT6KjJB6Ah pic.twitter.com/zKciKXmZHc

— KJCCC athletics (@KJCCCmedia) May 4, 2024