Above Left: Freshman Blake Blessie tries to tag an Independence runner. The Grizzlies dropped their doubleheader 6-3 and 10-5. Above Right: Sophomore Nathan Russell delivers his pitch. Bottom Left: Sophomore Connor Hurst rounds third base. Bottom Right: Redshirt freshman Mason Goade tags down an Indy runner.
Photos by Ed Bailey
Sean Boston and Mario Cabrera
Student Sports Media
The Butler baseball team under Head Coach BJ McVay will try and start off the 2017 campaign with how they ended the 2016 season. The Grizzlies, which lost their final series of 2016 against Cowley, a team that qualified for the World Series, were happy with how they played as the season came to a close.
The Grizzlies won four of their final six games after losing five consecutive contests before the win-streak. Butler finished last season with a 23-32 record overall and 12-20 in the Jayhawk Conference. The Grizzlies finished seventh in the Jayhawk West standings above Pratt and Cloud County.
Butler will return some key components to the pitching staff, but will have to replace second team all-conference selection Isaiah Montoya-Gonzales. The Grizzlies pitching staff was also highlighted by the work of Drake Harper, Corbin Osburn and Ben Ramberg, all which have graduated from Butler. The sophomore leadership from Hayden Schaffer, Nathan Russell and Sloan Baker will have to step up and try and lower the team earned run average of 6.91.
The Grizzlies will also have to replace key components in the infield, as they will be replacing Bryant Klusener, Channing Williams and Cory Slater from key positions across the diamond. Butler will have to rely on freshman stepping up and playing key roles early on in the season and winning over the battle for the right to play everyday.
The Grizzlies opened the season on Thursday, Feb. 2 when they hosted Independence at McDonald Stadium in El Dorado. Butler dropped the doubleheader to the Pirates 6-3 and 10-5 before traveling to Independence on Saturday, Feb. 4. The Grizzlies won the third game of the series 16-9. Butler will continue to play non-conference games until the Jayhawk West opener on Thursday, March 4 against Barton for a four-game series with the Cougars at McDonald Stadium. Butler baseball started out the season with a double header against Independence on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 1 p.m. on a cold evening at McDonald’s Stadium. The Grizzlies dropped the first game of the double header 6-3 after falling early in the game after a solo home run in the second by Independence’s Chase Brown. Grizzlies also allowed a two run home run by the Pirate’s Tyler Benge leading to a five run fourth inning.
After four innings, the Pirates led the Grizzlies 6-0 and in the bottom of the fifth the Grizzlies were able to scratch off 2 runs from their deficit thanks to a double from Caleb Cox to score Connor Hurst. Cox would later score when Jackson Soule was able to reach first on a Pirate fielding error. The Grizzlies luckily added another run in the bottom of the seventh on a Blake Blessie RBI groundout to score Hurst but came up short with their rally when the Pirates pitcher Anthony Moore closed it by striking out the last batter of the game.
Later, at around 3 p.m. the Grizzlies were in their second game of the season opening doubleheader against the Independence Pirates. Both teams struck quickly in the run column as both Butler and Independence were able to score in the first inning. After a tough pitchers’ duel through the following innings, the Pirates were finally able to break into Butler’s starter Nathan Russell after scoring three runs in the fourth inning. Nathan Russell was tagged with the loss for the Grizzlies, as he gave up three earned runs on six hits in just four innings of work. Butler’s pitching staff as a whole allowed eight earned runs on 13 hits with six walks and five strikeouts. The final score of the second game was 10-5 for the Pirates.
Not starting off the season as they wanted (0-2), the Grizzlies headed out to try and pick up their first win at Independence as they faced the Pirates again. Butler’s Caleb Cox hit a grand slam home run in a big fifth inning to help Butler break the game open. Caleb Nunez picked up the win in relief, pitching one inning, allowing only one hit and walking a batter. The final score was 16-9 for the Grizzlies in a nine inning game. Butler (1-2) will next play at Coffeyville on Friday, Feb. 10.
