Grizzlies and Blue Dragons Split at McDonald Stadium

EL DORADO, Kan. – Another day, another walk-off at McDonald Stadium.

Butler (22-16, 13-9) scored three seventh inning runs in game one of a doubleheader with the Hutchinson Blue Dragons (27-12, 9-9) to grab a walk-off win in game one, 4-3, before falling 9-6 in the second game. The game one walk-off came just two days after Cooper Rasmussen hit a ninth inning walk-off home run in an 8-7 win over Neosho.

Game one saw each team muster just five hits with both starting pitchers having strong performances. Butler starter Maddux Schrupp made his first start of the season and went a season-high 4.2 innings allowing two runs on two hits, striking out three and walking one. Hutch starter Trenton Roehler (L, 3-2) tossed 6.1 innings throwing 118 pitches as he allowed three runs, striking out five and walking two. Butler's Bradyn McClure (W, 3-2) threw the final 2.1 innings allowing one run on three hits as he earned his third win of the season. The Grizzlies struck first in the bottom of the first as Brandt Beeby hit an RBI double scoring Rasmussen. Hutchinson scored the game's next three runs plating two in the fourth off a Leo Griffin two-run home run to right and another in the top of the seventh when Anthony Mazza singled up the middle to make it a 3-1 Blue Dragon lead. Butler came to bat in the bottom of the seventh inning needing at least two runs to keep the game going, three to win it. Holden Lough led things off with a walk and Kaleb Nye singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. An Amarion Sailer bunt loaded the bases as Roehler attempted to get the lead runner unsuccessfully. A wild pitch scored Gunnar Lewis from third who pinch ran for Lough to make it 3-2. The next at bat, Jackson Ellison hit a long fly ball to right field for a sacrifice fly to score Nye and tie the game 3-3. Hutch proceeded to change pitchers and Jaden Rose put a hard ground ball down to the second baseman who came home attempting to throw out Sailer. The throw was in time but the Blue Dragon catcher was unable to hold onto the ball and Butler came away with a 4-3 comeback victory.

A four run ninth inning for Hutchinson in game two proved to be too much for Butler to overcome as they dropped the game 9-6. Butler deployed a bullpen game in the nightcap using seven different pitchers. Hutch plated the game's first run in the top of the first on a CJ Reid RBI single. They pushed the lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth as a wild pitch and Nick Glantz RBI groundout made it 3-0. Butler got on the board and took the lead in the bottom of the fourth plating four runs to make it 4-3. Sailer started the scoring with a solo home run, his second of the season. Nye then singled through the left side scoring Beeby. Alex Coester stole home on a double steal to make it 3-3 and Ellison hit an RBI ground out to second to put Butler ahead, 4-3. The Blue Dragons used lone runs in the sixth and eighth to regain the lead 5-3. They then plated four runs in the top of the ninth chasing a Grizzly pitcher to claim a 9-4 lead. Butler used Lough in a pinch hit in the bottom of the ninth and he slugged a two-run home run but that was as close as the Grizzlies got. They finished game two with just five hits. Van Haneberg (L, 1-1) was tagged with the loss.

TOP PERFORMERS GAME 1:

Maddux Schrupp: (Cologne, MN): 4.2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 K's, 1 BB

Bradyn McClure (Wichita, KS): Win (3-1), 2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 K

Breck Romero (Montgomery, TX): 2-3

Brandt Beeby (Tulsa, OK): 1-3, RBI

Kaleb Nye (Wichita, KS): Pinch hit, 1-1, R

TOP PERFORMERS GAME 2:

Amarion Sailer (Rapid City, SD): 2-4, RBI, HR

Holden Lough (Spring Hill, KS): 1-1, 2 RBI, HR

Kage Ralstin (Elkhart, KS): 1.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 3 K's

NEXT UP:

Butler travels to Hutchinson on Saturday to close out the series with the doubleheader's first pitch at 1 p.m. from Hobart-Detter Field.