Baseball Opens Season With Series Win in Texas

GAINESVILLE, Texas – Butler baseball opened its 2025 season with a 2-1 series win over the North Central Texas College Lions at Darwin Field on Thursday and Friday.

Game 1 (7 Inn.) – NCTC 7, Butler 1

The Grizzlies managed just one run on two hits as NCTC took the first game of the three-game series, 7-1. The Grizzlies used four pitchers in the game with starter Zach Murkin tossing 3.0 scoreless, hitless innings striking out seven and walking two. None of the seven Lion runs were earned. Elias Muller (L, 0-1) and Jack Haag each struck out two batters.

NCTC scored all seven runs in the fifth inning after trailing 1-0 as Butler got out to the early lead in the third off a balk scoring Brandt Beeby. Beeby was 2-3 with Butler's only hits of the game. The Lions finished with only five hits but a Butler error helped the fifth inning along.

Game 2 (7 Inn.) – Butler 14, NCTC 7

Following the slow start offensively the Grizzlies exploded for 14 runs on 14 hits in game two, securing a 14-7 win to tie the series 1-1.

Four Grizzlies had multi-hit games as Cooper Rasmussen finished 3-5 with two runs, Brandt Beeby was 2-3 with three runs scored, two RBI and two stolen bases, Jackson Ellison had two hits and two runs while Jordan Yearby was 2-4 with two RBI.

Dayton Pelfrey got the start on the mound and allowed five runs across 3.0 innings giving up three home runs. Shane Holman (W, 1-0) threw 3.0 innings allowing two runs on six hits striking out two. Cooper Annin threw the seventh inning allowing no runs.

Butler blew the game open with a nine run sixth inning as they entered the frame trailing 6-5. They forced the Lions to use six different pitchers. Vince Villegas finished 3-3 for the Lions at the plate.

Game 3 (9 Inn.) – Butler 7, NCTC 5

The Grizzlies used three ninth inning runs to secure a come from behind 7-5 win over the Lions to get the series win on opening weekend.

Butler scored three runs in the top of the ninth to grab the 7-5 lead after trailing 5-4 entering their last raps. A NCTC infield throwing error scored two runs and a Jordan Yearby RBI groundout scored the third. Amarion Sailer, Brandon Latter and Brady Todd each walked in the inning while Holden Lough singled.

Bradyn McClure (W, 1-0) tossed the final 3.0 innings for Butler allowing no runs on one hit, striking out seven. He struck out the side in the eighth and struck out two in both the seventh and ninth innings.

Sailer was 2-3 with two walks, Lough was 4-5 with an RBI, Todd was 3-4 and Beeby drove in two runs on a two run home run in the first inning to put Butler ahead 2-0.

NEXT UP

The Grizzlies host their home opener as Northeast CC comes to town on Saturday, Feb. 22nd for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.