The Butler softball team lost 5-1 to St. John’s University today concluding its first home series of the year. The Red Storm (10-13 overall, 3-0 Big East) completed the sweet of the Bulldogs (14-15, 2-4) behind the pitching of Tori Free.
Free held the Bulldogs to three hits, collecting five strikeouts and giving up no earned runs.
Neither team gave up a run until the 5th inning when St. John’s Sophomore Lexi Robles scored Junior Yvonne Rericha on an RBI double.
In the same inning, freshman Krystal Puga hit a two-RBI single to score Robles and freshman Hannah Anderson to put the Red Storm ahead 3-0.
The Bulldogs had no response to the Red Storm’s offense until the seventh inning when Alex Kotter scored on an overthrown pickoff move from the catcher to second base.
Butler head coach Scott Hall said he sees there are situations that the Bulldogs need to capitalize on and take advantage of.
“You never know what play’s going to turn the game,” Hall said. “We’re letting some plays happen that are unfortunately changing momentum.”
In the top of the sixth, St. John’s added two insurance runs to their advantage with an RBI single from freshman Savannah Warren that scored Rericha. Warren then went around to score on a bases loaded walk to sophomore Monique Landini.
To end the top of the sixth, Butler freshman Alyssa Lach made a diving catch in the hole with bases loaded to avoid the Bulldogs’ deficit from being stretched even farther.
“On defense, I just want to go all out [and] lay out for every ball,” Lach said. “I’m just trying to work as hard as I can; just go all out on every pitch every play. [I] just try to do whatever I can to help my team.”
Junior Kristin Gutierrez took the loss for the Bulldogs while Free got her fourth win of the year for St. John’s.
Looking forward, Hall says he sees two things that he needs to see more consistently.
“We’ve just got to do a better job of getting more consistent effort and focus,” Hall said.
Butler’s next game is a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 31st against Indiana State at 2:00 and 4:00 P.M.
