The Lady Bulldogs defeated the Lady Patriots in a very competitive and hard fought softball game recently at Butler High School.

Brianna Grant smacked a solo home run in the first inning to deep center field just right of the flag pole to give the Lady Patriots a quick 1-0 lead.  An error followed by a walk and a double by Abrianna Berry to drive in the second run of the inning made the score 2-0.  The inning ended when Mallory Shaver lined a shot into center field for the final out averting any additional damage.

In the bottom half of the frame Butler stormed back to score 3 runs of their own on four hits, a walk and an error to take a 3-2 lead.  The Bulldogs added 2 more runs in the second inning for a 5-2 lead.

Independence scored 4 runs in the fourth inning when Mallory Shaver led off with a base hit, Kinsley Bucka followed with a single, Kingsley Reardon legged out an infield hit to load the bases.  A base on balls scored a run, a ground out to deep second base by Grant scored the second run, and Maya Douglas picked up the RBI on an infield hit for the third run, an error on the throw scored the fourth to give the Patriots a 6-5 advantage.

Butler again would bounce back in the fourth inning on a walk and bunt single, a wild throw by Indy third baseman Anna Easter into the the outfield to get the force at second rolled all the way to the fence getting by the center fielder and the speedy runners ran around the bases for 2 unearned runs giving the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead.

The home team would score two more runs in the sixth on a combination of a walk, error by second baseman Emily Shaver and a double to empty the bases to give Butler who is very aggressive on the bases a 9-6 lead going into the final inning.

In the seventh Abrianna Berry reached on an error by the third baseman, with one out Kingsley Bucka singled putting runners at the corners, then Brianna Grant hit a sacrifice fly to score Berry and the game ended on a pop out to the pitcher with the Bulldogs securing a key conference game win 9-7.