Beech Tree News Network

The BCHS Bears softball team claimed two wins last weekend in the Capital City Showcase Classic in Frankfort - one of the top tournaments in the state.  Butler County defeated St. Joseph's Academy (Cleveland, Ohio) 5-3 on Friday night and Louisville Eastern 4-3 in a nine-inning tiebreaker on Saturday; the Bears fell 7-0 to Anderson County earlier on Saturday.  Despite going 2-1 in pool play and finishing in a three-way tie for first, Butler County did not advance to the single elimination tournament due to a run differential rule as part of the tie-breaker process. 

Butler County plated three runs in the opening inning against St. Joseph en route to the 5-3 win in a game filled with errors by both teams - five for Butler County and 4 for St. Joseph.  The Bears turned in a solid offensive game with eight hits, includine Madeline Drake with two singles and a double and Amy Rogers (2-RBI) with a double and a triple - barely missing out on a homerun.  Jazmin Reynolds, Emily Rich (RBI), and Payton Grubb also singled.

Pticher Morgan Manning allowed three hits and one earned run, while striking out six batters and walking none.

BC    3  0  0  1  0  1  0        5    8    5
SJ     0  2  0  0  0  1  0        3    3    4

* * *

The Bears failed to wake up for Saturday's morning game, dropping a 7-0 decision to the Anderson County Bearcats.  Anderson notched ten hits, while Butler managed only four - singles by Drake, Hannah Peach, and two by Kassie Phelps. 

Manning allowed five earned runs, struck out seven batters and walked none.

AC    2  0  2  1  0  1  1        7    10    1
BC    0  0  0  0  0  0  0        0     4    3

* * *

The best game of the day, and perhaps of the entire tournament, was Butler County's 4-3 win over Louisville Eastern in a nine-inning tiebreaker.  Butler scored in the first inning but gave up three runs in the third to fall behind 3-1.  The Bears rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom  of the fifth to tie the game at 3-3.  With the game knotted at the end of seventh, international tie-breaker rules were implemented, which allowed each team to start the innnig a with a runner at second base. 

Butler County's defense came up big on numerous occasions in turing in an error-free performance.  Collectively, outfielders Payton Grubb and Jazmin Reynolds made seven catches.

In the bottom of the ninth, baserunner Payton Grubb advanced from second to third on a passed ball.  Eastern intentionally walked the next two batters - Drake and Rogers - to set up the force play at any base with no outs.  On a 3-1 pitch, 8th grade firstbaseman Hannah Peach blasted a towering shot near the centerfield wall to score Grubb from third to win the game for Butler County.

Manning allowed eight hits and three earned runs.  She struck out three batters and walked two.

LE    0  0  3  0  0  0  0  0  0        3     8    11
BC    1 0  0  0  2  0  0  0  1        4    11    0

"We played our best, most complete game of the season beating a very good Eastern team," said BCHS head coach John Embry.  "We pitched well, hit well, and played outstanding defense.  It was good to see our girls put everything together in this quality win."