DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Butler
DePaul Drops Back End of Doubleheader at Butler, 4-2
5/3/2014 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
May 3, 2014
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - DePaul softball saw the fourth-longest winning streak in program history come to an end on Saturday, dropping the second game of a doubleheader 4-2 at Butler.
Dylan Christensen and Allie Braden both knocked in runs for DePaul (38-9, 17-1 BIG EAST), which dropped its first conference game of the season. Mary Connolly (6-3) got the loss on the mound, tossing six innings and allowing three earned runs to go with six strikeouts
Butler improved to 24-27 (10-9 BIG EAST) with the upset win, holding the Blue Demons to their lowest run total since a shutout loss at Louisville on March 26.
The Blue Demons got on the board first, as Braden worked a one-out walk and stole second before coming around to score on a base hit by Christensen.
The lead held until the bottom of the third when Butler picked up three runs on five hits to knock DePaul out of the lead -- the first time the Blue Demons had trailed in a game since April 16 at Illinois.
In the fourth, the Bulldogs took advantage of an error to tack on an insurance run.
After Ali Lenti doubled to lead off the fifth, Butler opted to bring back ace Kristin Gutierrez in relief. The sophomore allowed a two-out triple to Braden -- her second of the season -- to make it 4-2, but avoided further damage.
DePaul would get just one hit in the sixth and seventh innings, as Gutierrez earned a three-inning save.
The two teams get back to business tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. CT, wrapping up the regular season with a single game at BU Softball Field.
Notes: The loss snapped a 20-game winning streak for DePaul, which was the fourth-longest in program history... the loss was the first for DePaul in conference play this season... DePaul hadn't trailed in a game since April 16... its most recent loss prior to today was a March 26 setback at Louisville... Braden has had a hit in 19 of her past 20 games... Mary Connolly saw a 21-game streak of reaching base coming to an end... DePaul's two runs were its fewest in any conference game this season... the team came into the game averaging 7.5 runs per game in BIG EAST action... the Blue Demons dropped to 30-4 when scoring first... with one run in the first inning, the Blue Demons have now out-scored their opposition 69-17 in the first frame this season...
