Matthew Will
Sports Editor
For the seventh consecutive year, Butler’s softball team started the season with two wins on opening day. On Wednesday, Feb. 13, the fourth-ranked Grizzlies defeated the Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles, 8-1 and 12-1.
Sophomore Megan Johnson took the mound for the Grizzlies in game one. Johnson would face 15 hitters in four full innings while only allowing two hits, five strikeouts and a single walk. Freshman Olivia DePew replaced Johnson in the fifth inning and would finish the game for Butler. Despite allowing five hits and one run, Johnson and DePew received significant help from the offense.
The scoring started in the second inning thanks to a single by sophomore Sara Mitchell that brought sophomore Makensey Pankers in to score.
The third inning was the first offensive explosion of the 2019 season as Butler increased their lead to 5-0. After loading the bases, freshman Eagle pitcher Amy Enkey walked a run home. The next batter, Mitchell, scored two on a single. Following that, sophomore Meghan Gutierrez singled one more run in.
Butler added another run in the fifth on an RBI single from freshman Shayna Espy. Freshman Asia Henry and sophomore Jaime Barta both recorded RBI singles in the sixth to give Butler an 8-0 lead.
The Eagles would finally find the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth on a single to right by freshman Shilo Thompson.
Butler would survive the remainder of the game, winning 8-1. Johnson was credited with the win while DePew was rewarded with the save. Enkey pitched the entire game for the Eagles, allowing eight runs on 15 hits with six walks and a strikeout.
Sophomore Kaylee Burnett took the hill to start game two for Butler. Burnett pitched just into the fifth inning while facing 19 batters along the way. Sophomore Brianna Robinson came into the game in the fifth inning.
Butler and Oklahoma Wesleyan kept things interesting, going scoreless until the fourth inning, when Butler began to run away with it.
In the fourth, Butler hopped out to a 2-0 lead after sophomore Meghan Gutierrez and Espy drove runs in while reaching on fielder’s choice.
The Eagles added one run of their own in the bottom of the fourth, as freshman Alexis Ramirez drove in the lone run of the game for Oklahoma Wesleyan.
The fifth inning showed off what makes Butler so good: offensive rallies. Pankers got things started for Butler, driving in two runs on a double to deep left. Freshman Delainey Fenoglio followed with an RBI single. A couple batters later, Fenoglio scored on a wild pitch. Just after that, sophomore Jordan Carlson also scored on a wild pitch.
Following that at-bat, Espy scored Barta on a single. Freshman Taliya Talley reached on an error, recording an RBI on the play as well. For the second time this inning, Pankers earned two RBIs on a double. Fenoglio punched one more run in, pushing Butler’s lead to 11.
Facing run-rule, the Eagles returned to the plate. Burnett and Robinson made quick work in the bottom of the fifth, earning Butler second win of the season, 12-1.
Burnett’s record escalated to 1-0 on the season after retiring 15 of the 19 batters she faced, adding seven strikeouts. Robinson earned her first save of the season with a shutout 0.2 innings. Sophomore Abbey Ely received the loss for Oklahoma Wesleyan, allowing 12 runs on 14 hits with four walks.
Butler continues their 2019 season on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 15-16 in Fort Worth, TX. at the annual Cowtown Classic, where they will face Blinn College, Alvin Community College, North Central Texas College, Iowa Central and Central Nebraska. The home portion of the season begins Thursday, Feb. 21 at East Park in El Dorado at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. against Northern Oklahoma College-Enid.
