EDMOND, Okla. – Butler baseball could not hold on to a three run lead as they lost 4-3 in eight innings to Seminole State at Wendell Simmons Field on Thursday evening.
Butler (4-2) lost its second game in a row to close out the UCO Juco Festival in Edmond. The next action for the Grizzlies is Tuesday, Feb. 20th when they take on NOC-Enid on the road.
Butler built a 3-0 lead in the top of the second. Jordan Hedrick singled through the right side to score Brock Toothaker then in the next at bat Tyler Butash singled to right field, scoring Taber Stokes. Garrett Fager hit a ground rule double to left field that scored Hedrick, making it 3-0.
BSB vs. Seminole State | T2
— Butler Grizzlies (@ButlerGrizzlies) February 15, 2024
Garrett Fager with the ground rule double to score a run and make it 3-0!#RoarGrizz�� pic.twitter.com/DTOiZHvVmM
Zach Murkin got the start on the mound for Butler, throwing 4.0 innings with just one unearned run scoring. He struck out five and walked two in his second start of the season.
BSB vs. Seminole State | B2
— Butler Grizzlies (@ButlerGrizzlies) February 15, 2024
Zach Murkin with the strikeout to end the second, Butler leads it 3-0#RoarGrizz�� pic.twitter.com/gUbE5lpscJ
Seminole State starting pitcher Denver Hamilton was pulled after 2.0 innings as Butler led 3-0. He made way for Declan Dahl out of the bullpen. Dahl threw the final 6.0 innings holding the Grizzlies scoreless, striking out 10, walking none and scattering just two hits. Dahl sent Butler back to the dugout three up three down for four straight innings, the third through the sixth.
The first run of the game for Seminole State came in the bottom of the fourth as a wild pitch on a swinging third strike scored a runner from third.
They plated two more in the fifth, one on a wild pitch and the other on an RBI infield groundout to make it 3-3.
Jack Laird and Bradyn McClure both tossed an inning in relief for Butler. Laird allowed the two runs in the fifth while McClure threw a clean sixth inducing three groundouts before facing some trouble in the seventh.
Seminole threatened in the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second before the Grizzlies made another pitching change, inserting freshman Jack Haag into the game for McClure. Seminole bunted in the following at bat but the Grizzlies got the lead runner in the force out at third for the first out. The next batter hit into a 6-4-3 double play to push the game into extra innings.
Anibal Rivera had a one out single up the middle in the eighth and stole second in the next at bat. Butler could not send him home though as Justin Hudson struck out and Cole Murrell flew out to center field to end the top half of the eighth.
The first two batters of the eight for Seminole were a walk and a hit by pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs. The next at bat Haag forced a ground ball to Toothaker at second base who made the force out at second for the first out of the inning but the winning run for Seminole advanced to third. A wild pitch scored the winning run for Seminole in the next at bat as they walked the Grizzlies off.
Butash was the lone Grizzly with multiple hits, finishing with two as well as an RBI. Butler walked just twice compared to 12 strikeouts. The Grizzlies also made three errors while Seminole made none.
