MARKO TOMICH | Contributing Reporter
Butler’s softball team continued its rough start to the season this weekend, dropping three straight contests at the University of Kentucky Invitational. The Bulldogs fell to 4-12 on the season.
Butler faced host Kentucky in its first game and fell 9-7 in an offensive onslaught. The Bulldogs stormed back late, but four runs in the seventh inning were not enough to close the gap.
Freshman pitcher Kacey Starwalt pitched three-and-a-third innings in relief, giving up one hit and one run. Senior Leah Bry started on the mound for the Bulldogs and was later named Big East Conference pitcher of the week.
The Bulldogs started slow against University of Pittsburgh, falling behind six runs before rallying for four runs of their own in the seventh. The comeback fell short.
Butler could not convert early and left 13 runners on base in the game.
Sophomore Kristin Gutierrez had a rough outing on the mound, surrendering 10 hits and six runs, while the Bulldogs made six errors in the game. Gutierrez has a record of 1-5 on the season.
In the final competition of the tournament, Butler scored two first-inning runs off a single by freshman infielder Chelsea Norwood. Eastern Kentucky answered with two runs of its own in the second inning to tie the game.
Eastern Kentucky scored three more runs in the eighth inning to seal Butler’s fate.
Butler will look to snap its three-game losing streak when the Buldogs compete in the Under Armour Classic in Clear Water, Fla.
The Bulldogs will have six games from March 13-16. They will face Penn in the opener before facing Long Island and Yale the next day.
The Bulldogs will play their second double-header in as many days on March 15 when they face Massachussets and Iona, before closing the Classic in a matchup with Boston University.