Bryce Hirayama
Student Sports Media
The Butler baseball team swept Hesston College in a four-game series, spanning from Thursday to Saturday, April 11-13 with two games at home and two away.
In the first game of a double header, Butler won at home with a score of 10-8. Butler started off strong with two home runs in the first inning by Sophomore Javier Pena and
Freshman Colby Standard making the score 3-1.
Hesston wasn’t going to go quietly as they came back in the third with two runs of their own off a two-run double by Tate Winfield.
The fifth inning was a back and forth contest. Hesston added two more runs at the top of the fifth making the score 5-3.
But Butler came rolling back with an RBI double by Pena and a two-run single by Sophomore Parker Base, changing the lead once again to 6-5, Butler.
Later in the fifth, a grand slam by Freshman Jean Morillo sealed the deal for the Grizzlies as their lead jumped from 6-5 to 10-5.
The ending of the game was not without drama; however, as Hesston College hit a 3-run home run in the top of the sixth, but it was not enough as Butler got the victory.
Later that same day, Butler and Hesston played again in a 5-inning bout that resulted in Butler winning ,13-1.
The Butler Grizzlies jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the bottom of the first and their lead never wavered. Butler scored off two singles by Sophomore Joshua Cox and Base.
The Grizzlies also had two home runs in the first, scoring a total of 5 runs. The two home runs were hit by Cox and Sophomore Colby Deaville.
While there were fireworks offensively for the Grizzlies, what really extended the innings were the three throwing errors by Hesston College. Hesston accumulated three throwing errors from three of its infielders, third base, second base and their shortstop. Which led to a 10-0 lead for the Grizzlies.
Hesston’s only run came in the 3rd inning from a walk as the bases were loaded. The Grizzlies scored again in the fourth off three home runs from Freshmen Noah Argenta, Austin Portner and Sophomore Patrick Bethea.
Over the weekend, Butler played Hesston again and also defeated them in a double header. In the first game, they won 2-1 and then also won 10-4 in the second game.
After this past week, Butler has a record of 26-14 and are 12-8 in conference. The
Grizzlies are on a 5-game win streak and next play Cowley County on Tuesday, April 16 as well as a double header against Barton on Thursday, April 18.
