Defensive errors plagued the Scotties Friday afternoon as they dropped both games on the road to Butler Community College 10-0 and 8-6.
 
Game one had Highland committing three first inning errors which led to a 3-0 start for the Grizzlies. Highland settled in for the next few innings but two errors in the 4^th inning gave Butler more scoring opportunities and they took a 7-0 lead.
 
The Grizzlies shut the Highland bats down in the top of the 5^th retiring all three batters. They followed that up with three more runs in the bottom of the 5^th and ended the game with a 10-0 run rule to take game one.
 
Highland was unable to produce anything offensively as they only got three hits in the game, walked twice and struck out five times while stranding finve runners in the game.
 
Zaine Foth-Thomas got the first start of his college career going 3.1 innings giving up six runs (one earned) off of five hits. He struck out one and walked one. Chris Giordano replaced Foth-Thomas in the 3^rd and finished the game pitching one full inning giving up four runs (three earned) on four hits and struck out one.
 
Six of the Grizzlies 10 runs were unearned as Highland had five errors in the game.
 
Game two started off in similar fashion to game one with the Grizzlies jumping out to a 4-0 lead. Highland answered in the top of the second scoring one run off of a Justin Rieshick RBI single. Scotties still trailed 4-1 headed into the bottom of the second. Butler answered the Highland run with one of their own and took a 5-1 lead.
 
Highland was held scoreless in the top of the third and fourth innings. Butler tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, one on a Highland balk and the other on a double steal, Butler now led 7-1.
 
Right when the Grizzlies thought they had the game in the bag, Mason Nagle hit the days only homerun over the right field fence and scored Christopher Procopio. Highland still trailed 7-3. Butler scored one in the bottom of five with an Alex Brough RBI single to right.
 
Highland made one last charge in the sixth as Jordan Henning hit a 2-RBI single to right field scoring Conner Fiene and Tyler Watson and moved Ke'Shawn Ballard to third. Christopher Procopio his second single of the game, this time an RBI scoring Ballard and cutting the lead to just two runs, 8-6. 
 
The Scotties had the tying run on base in the seventh but was unable to get them across home plate and dropped game two 8-6.

Starting pitcher for the Scotties, Noah Robertson, was credited the loss pitching 3.2 innings giving up six runs off six hits. Robertson struck out three and walked two.
 
Highland swung the bats better in game two scoring six runs off seven hits. Butler struck out seven Scottie batters and walked five.

Coach Dulin had this to say about the day, "We are obviously disappointed that we didn't come away with a win. We didn't execute some things defensively in some situations in game one and that kind of put us in a hole that was hard to get out of. In game two we settled down a bit and competed better, including having the tying run on base in the 7th. That was good to see. This was 90% of our team's first experience playing college baseball, so no we didn't win, but I am excited about the rest of the season and our potential because we did do some good things offensively and defensively."
 
Highland will get back on the diamond this Thursday, February 15 as they take on Bethany College in Lindsborg, KS. The double-header is scheduled to start at 1:00pm.