Butler softball had its 24-game conference winning streak snapped during Saturday's home opener with Hutchinson at East Park.
The Grizzlies (11-7 overall, 1-1 conference) rallied for an 8-6 win in the conference opener with the Blue Dragons, but fell short 11-10 to Hutchinson in the second game.
The loss not only ended Butler's third-longest conference win streak in program history, but also stopped a 19-game winning streak over Hutchinson, dating back to 2006. Butler was just four wins shy of tying its second-longest conference winning streak (28 games; Apr. 11, 2012 to Apr. 2, 2014). The Grizzlies' longest win streak is 77 games, which spanned over the consecutive national championship runs in 2016 and 2017 and was ended last year with a Mar. 22 home loss to Barton.
Butler's next contest will be a conference road doubleheader against Dodge City (10-2, 4-0) on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. The Grizzlies, who have won 47 straight road conference games, have won the last 28 meetings against Dodge City - with the last loss to the Conquistadors coming in 2005.
Butler was originally scheduled to host North Iowa Area in a non-conference doubleheader on Monday, but rain late Sunday canceled the contests and will not be made up.
Game 1 – Butler 8, Hutchinson 6
Butler took the early lead with a three-run first inning against the Dragons in the opener.
Madi Young led off the frame with a walk, then stole both second and third base. After Emily Adler was hit with a pitch, Hannah Knox drove in the game's first run with a single to left to score Young.
With runners at second and third, Taliya Talley grounded out to second, which scored Adler from third base. Asia Henry then followed with a single to left to score Knox for a 3-0 lead.
Hutch answered with six straight runs, beginning with a two-run double by Bailey Pennycuff in the top of the second. The Dragons added three runs in the third off a Natalie Bevan RBI single and a two-run double by Alexis Way.
Trailing 6-3, Butler cut into the lead with a solo home run to left from Faith Denning in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Talley then tied the game in the fifth inning with a two-run homer to center off Hutch starter Maryssa Rolin.
In the Butler sixth, Young broke a 6-6 tie with a two-run single to left field off Hutch reliever Sadie Loney to score Shayna Espy and Sydney Adler. Faith Denning led off the inning with a hit by pitch, then Adler came in as a pinch runner. Espy followed with a double to right field, bringing Young to the plate with no outs.
Olivia DePew started the game, giving up four earned runs off seven hits in four innings. Cassidi Doyle, who picked up her first win as a Grizzly, allowed just one hit over two shutout innings. Knox finished the game with a shutout inning in the seventh for her second save of the season.
Knox, Anna Icenhower and Espy led Butler with two hits each, while Talley drove in a game-high three runs.
Game 2 – Hutchinson 11, Butler 10
For the second straight game, Butler took an early lead after scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning against Hutch starter Maryssa Rollin.
Jaden Redus hit a double to left-center to plate Anna Icenhower, who led off the inning with a double to center. With two outs, Madi Young singled through the left side to score Redus for a 2-0 Butler lead.
The Blue Dragons roared back with a five-run third inning, as Hutchinson put the first seven runners on base against Grizzly starter Hannah Knox.
Bailey Pennycuff began the inning with a double to center, then advanced to third on a passed ball. Pennycuff scored Hutch's first run when Lexi Williams singled through the left side. After Williams stole second base, Hutchinson loaded the bases with an Alexis Way single and a Maryssa Rollin walk.
Hutchinson took a 3-2 lead on a Taylor Ullery two-run double past third base, then Kylie Dunn followed with an RBI single through the right side.
After a walk to Natalie Bevan, Butler brought in Cassidi Doyle to replace Knox. A sacrifice fly by Caitlin Schumacher provided the first out, despite scoring Ullery from third base. Doyle then ended the inning with a 6-4-3 double play.
Down 5-2, Butler grabbed two runs back in the bottom of the third with an Icenhower RBI single to center with one out to score Taliya Talley. Redus followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Asia Henry.
Butler took the lead in the following inning, getting a two-run double to center from Talley which scored Emily Adler and Shayna Espy with two outs. A throwing error by Hutch shortstop Schumacher scored Talley from second base to put the Grizzlies up 7-5.
Hutchinson answered back with four runs in the top of the fifth inning, beginning with a Rollin solo home run. The Dragons added another run off a throwing error, then Pennycuff delivered a two-run single to center field for a 9-7 Hutch lead.
Ullery padded the Dragons lead with a two-run homer in the sixth off Doyle.
Butler cut the deficit down to one with back-to-back home runs from Talley and Henry in the bottom of the sixth against Hutch reliever Jordan Galliher. After Knox hit a one-out single through the left side, Talley hammered a two-run blast to left-center. Henry followed with a solo shot to left to trim Hutch's lead to 11-10.
Hutchinson then brought in Sadie Loney, who recorded a save by retiring the final five batters.
Talley led Butler's offense by going 2-for-4, driving in four runs and scoring three times. Young, Knox, Icenhower and Espy each had two hits for the Grizzlies. Ullery was Hutch's top offensive performer, hitting 4-for-4 with three runs and four RBIs.
Knox lasted just two innings while allowing five earned runs off six hits, walking three and striking out two batters. Doyle (1-1) took the loss, giving up six runs – three earned – on four hits in four innings of work. Kelcie Kippes finished the game with a shutout inning in the seventh.
