Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
The Detroit Titans softball team dropped a pair of games, 3-2 and 13-5, against visiting Butler in Horizon League action at Buysse Ballpark.
In game one, the Titans (4-20, 0-5 HL) trimmed a 3-0 deficit to one run in the seventh inning but could not get over the hump as the rally fell short.
After Butler (10-16, 2-3 HL) plated three runs on three hits in the second inning, sophomore Ellen Sinclair (Chatham, ON/Chatham-Kent) hit her second home run of the season over the left center field fence in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 3-1.
Junior Jill Perry (Ortonville, MI/ Brandon) kept Butler off the board from the circle allowing only two hits the rest of the way.
In the seventh inning, the Titans got the bases loaded on three consecutive singles from junior Courtney Gill (Surrey, B.C./Earl Marriott), sophomore Kristin Sclater (Taylor, MI/Kennedy) and junior Jessica Liebner (Ortonville, MI/Brandon). After a dropped foul ball pop up behind the plate, sophomore Breana Sesoko (Anaheim Hills, CA/Canyon) made Butler pay with a RBI single to plate freshman Krissy Pitock (Carleton, MI/Carleton-Airport) who came in to pinch run. However, freshman Melissa Barrett (Taylor, MI/Kennedy) who also was in to pinch run and represented the tying run, was tagged out at the plate on a throw from right field. UDM still had an opportunity but could not cash in as Butler pitcher Kristen Malinkey got freshman Rachel Copple (Dearborn Heights, MI/Allen Park Cabrini) to strikeout to pick up the save and preserve the 3-2 win.
Both teams' offense got off to a quick starts in the second game. Butler went up 2-0 in the first inning on a two-run RBI double from Bridget Paine. Detroit responded in the bottom half as Gill blasted a three-run home run over the left center field fence to put the Titans up 3-2.
Butler came right back in the second with three runs on three hits to take a 5-3 lead. With two outs, Detroit added a run as Sinclair drew a bases loaded walk to score Sesoko pulling the Titans with in one, 5-4. Gill then gave the ball a ride but it didn't have enough on it as Lauren McNulty was able to make the catch in left field to end the inning leaving three UDM runners on base.
With two outs and runners on first and third in the fourth inning, Butler got a run off a wild pitch followed by a single. Paine then responded with a backbreaking three-run home run that extended the Bulldogs' lead to 9-4.
Butler went on to add two runs in the fifth and sixth inning en route to the 13-5 win.
On the day, Detroit was led by Sesoko who went 4-for-6 at the plate with a RBI and run scored. Sinclair also went 3-for-6 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored while Gill hit 3-for-7 with a home run and four RBI.
The Titans and Bulldogs play the series finale on Sunday, March 29 at 12 p.m. at Buysse Ballpark.
