Bulldogs Earn First Day Split In Nashville

NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Senior Jennifer Chasteen pitched a complete game shutout and junior Lauren McNulty drove in three runs to lead Butler to a 5-0 victory over Appalachian State and an opening-day split at the Lady Bison Classic in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday (Mar. 4).  The Bulldogs dropped the first tournament game to host Lipscomb, 2-0.

Chasteen allowed just six hits in seven innings and saw only one Appalachian State (5-10) runner reach third base.  She struck out seven and gave up just one walk, while picking up her second win in three decisions this season.  The Butler righthander hasn’t allowed an earned run in 12.2 innings of work.

“(Chasteen) pitched an outstanding game,” said Butler head coach Scott Hall after the victory.  “And we got some timely hitting to give her solid run support.”

McNulty sparked Butler’s offense with a pair of hits and three RBI’s in three trips to the plate.  She drove in the Bulldogs’ first run with an infield ground out in the bottom of the first inning, and then she plated a pair of runs with a single up the middle in the third frame.  She also had one of two Butler hits in the fifth inning, when the Bulldogs scored a single run.

Butler (2-4) finished with a season-high seven hits in the game, while matching a season-high for runs scored.  Junior Alyssa Coleman and sophomore Emily Schrock each added a run batted in for the Bulldogs.

The first game turned into a pitching duel between Butler’s Jenny Esparza and Lipscomb’s Whitney Kiihnl.  Esparza allowed just two hits and two earned runs in 4.1 innings of work, before giving way to senior Breanna Fisher.  Kiihnl was even better, blanking the Bulldogs on one hit.

Lipscomb (6-8) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on four walks and then added an insurance run in the fifth frame on a run-scoring double by catcher Mollie Mitchell.  That proved to be more than enough support for Kiihnl, who recorded 14 strikeouts in seven innings.

McNulty broke up the no-hit bid with a solid single to left field in the top of the seventh inning.

Butler will play a single game in the tournament against Eastern Illinois at 12:15 p.m. (CT) on Saturday (March 5).  The four-team tournament will conclude on Sunday (March 6).