The North Butler softball team had a memorable day at the Lake Mills tournament, going 2-0 and returning home as tournament champions on Saturday. The Bearcats won 8-0 in five innings over Clear Lake and 5-4 over Riceville.
Against Clear Lake, North Butler took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Bearcats added a pair of insurance runs in the second to go up 5-0, and put the game away in the fourth plating their final three runs. The Bearcats were efficient at the plate, producing their eight runs on seven hits with six singles and one double. Mackenzie Schultz had two RBI. Izzy O’Dowd, Marcy Allan, Kamri Groen and Charlotte Shook each drove in a run apiece. With the aid of quality defense behind her, Groen in the circle threw a five inning no hitter with four strikeouts.
Against Riceville, North Butler led 4-1 after two innings. The Bearcats led 5-2 after each team drove in a run in the fourth. The Wildcats got within a run at 5-4, rallying with two runs in the sixth. The Bearcats stood for a scoreless seventh to hold on for the competitive win. The Bearcats scored one unearned run and four runs on five hits, behind two RBI by Izzy O’Dowd, and an RBI apiece for Kamri Groen and Grace Pittenger. Zoey Thompson worked six innings and allowed two earned runs with six strikeouts for her first varsity win of the season. Kamri Groen entered in the seventh and earned the save.
North Butler (5-5) has won three games in a row and will play at Nashua-Plainfield in Top of Iowa East action on Monday.
