The Butler softball team went 3-1 in conference play last weekend.

The Bulldogs (17-19, 6-4) split a double-header with Fordham Sunday.

In the first game, Rams (25-16, 9-5) senior Jamie LaBovick hit a home run over the left field wall to start the game.

Fordham scored two more runs in the second inning before being shut out by junior Leah Bry. But it was enough.

Rams sophomore pitcher Michele Daubman blanked the Bulldogs, finishing with three strikeouts and no walks.

In game two, Butler struck first, scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth inning on a double by junior Krista Hakola.

Fordham countered in the top of the sixth with another home run from LaBovick.

In the top of the eighth LaBovick scored on a fielder’s choice to take a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, sophomore Kristen Boros reached on an infield single. Boros scored on a single by freshman Audrey East.

Senior Devin Brierly came in to pinch-run and scored the winning run off a hit from senior Devin Dearing.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs swept conference opponent La Salle in a doubleheader. The final scores were 15-1 and 2-0.

The team is at home this weekend with doubleheaders against St. Joseph’s and Temple.

Two swings helped the Butler softball team sweep St. Bonaventure last weekend to start its conference season.

Butler (10-12, 2-0) trailed in the first game before coming back to defeat the Bonnies 2-1 on senior first baseman Devin Dearing’s first home run of the season.

Senior pitcher Jenny Esparza got the win on the mound, allowing three hits and zero walks.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Butler fell behind again early before sophomore infielder Kristen Boros hit a grand slam to give the Bulldogs the lead and eventual 6-3 win.

It was Butler’s eighth win in its last nine games.

Today’s game against Eastern Illinois was canceled. The Bulldogs will be back in action at Dayton tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Softball is typically a spring sport, but the Butler softball team is more than halfway through its fall season.

Butler’s official season is still in the spring, but the team is using a short, eight-game fall season to take stock of the newcomers and figure out individuals’ technique and skill levels.

“We’re looking to gauge where everyone is,” coach Scott Hall said. “We’re obviously out here trying to win, but our ultimate goal is in the spring, and this is going to help us get there and tell us where our focus needs to be.”

The team lost six seniors to graduation, and fifth-year senior Kayla Gray decided to forgo her last year of eligibility due to injury.

Hall had 10 freshman join the team and will be holding open tryouts to fill the required 25-person roster.

Sophomore infielder Kristen Boros, who was named to the 2012 Horizon League All-Newcomer team, said the biggest difference between this season and last is having to go back to basics.

“With so many upperclassmen before, we just went out and played,” Boros said. “Now coach Hall has to break it down a little more.”

Hall agrees and said that he feels like he has to do a little bit more coaching now.

“We have to introduce the new kids to how we break down hitting and how we do defensive sets,” Hall said. “But it’s neat watching our older ones become leaders and teach just as much as I am.”

Even the returning players are fighting for spots, learning to balance the competition between each other and still trying to gel as a team.

“We have always had to compete, but it’s a little more intense this year,” junior Callie Dennison said. “In the end it doesn’t really matter who’s on the field because we are a team first.”

Dennison primarily played in the infield last season, but in six fall games, she has manned a spot in the outfield.

“Nothing’s guaranteed,” Dennison said. “I still have to earn it and be ready to play anywhere.”

In addition to competing for spots, the team is trying to find its identity.

Boros said the team is typically a very funny, laid-back group and expects that to continue this year.

“We have some serious ones, but we all just have so much fun,” Boros said. “Someone will tell a story, and we’ll keep laughing forever.”

Freshman Alex Kotter is still trying to figure out different aspects of the team and get to know everyone but said she can already pick out different personalities.

“Meaghan Sullivan is definitely a serious one—she expects perfection—but then we have Jenny and Callie who kind of lighten the mood at times too,” Kotter said. “But sometimes I don’t know whether coach is being serious or kidding around with me. Meaghan has had to tell me a few times, ‘Alex, he’s joking,’ and then I laugh.”

The team has a 4-1-1 record through the fall with two games remaining.

The Butler softball team traveled to Morehead State yesterday and won one of two games.

The Bulldogs (14-23, 5-4) tallied double-digit runs for the first time this season in an 11-5 victory over the Eagles (11-23).

Photo by Rachel Anderson

Trailing 5-4 entering the seventh inning, Butler went on the offensive and scored seven runs against Morehead State’s bullpen.

In the first game between the teams, Eagles junior Katie Pfost pitched a complete game shutout, and Morehead State won 1-0.

Over the weekend, the Bulldogs took two out of three games from Illinois-Chicago in a Horizon League series.

The Flames (15-19, 3-3) captured an 8-4 victory in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday at BU Softball Field.

UIC tallied eight runs in the first four innings of the contest, and Butler was never able to recover despite rallying in the seventh inning.

With the win, the Flames avoided the sweep and ended Butler’s five-game winning streak.

The Bulldogs dominated the first game of the doubleheader, winning by a score of 9-0 in five innings.

Junior pitcher Jenny Esparza pitched a complete game, recording five strikeouts and allowing three hits.

On Friday, Butler won a 4-3 nail-biter in the first game of the series.

Freshman second baseman Kristen Boros, senior designated hitter Erin Falkenberry and senior catcher Mallory Winters all hit home runs for the Bulldogs.

Boros also was named the Horizon League Player of the Week on Monday.

Butler will host Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis for a pair of games Thursday.