May 14, 2011
Esparza Powers Butler To League Title Tilt
CHICAGO, ILL. -- Jenny Esparza is more than the top pitcher in
the Horizon League. With Butler’s season on the line,
Esparza delivered the biggest hit of her young career to lift the
Bulldogs to a 1-0 victory over UIC in the championship round of the
league tournament at Loyola Softball Park on Saturday, May 14.
Esparza blanked the Flames through seven innings of the showdown
contest. UIC pitcher Devin Miller matched the Butler ace,
pitch for pitch, and carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the
seventh frame.
But Esparza ended the no-hitter and the game with one swing of the
bat. Butler’s leadoff hitter in the seventh, the
sophomore from Avon slammed a shot into the wind and over the
centerfield fence to lift the Bulldogs into a final league title
game against the Flames. Her walk-off home run was her second
round-tripper of the tournament and her third of the season.
Esparza, beaten by the Flames in the final inning a day earlier,
put the Bulldogs in position to win with another strong pitching
performance. She had nine strikeouts in the game, boosting
her tournament total to 51, four shy of the Horizon League
record. She only allowed one base runner through the first
four innings. The 2011 Horizon League Pitcher of the Year
picked up her 18th win, matching the Bulldogs’ single season
record that she set a year ago!
Miller (16-17) was equally impressive. She had nine strikeouts and
only allowed one ball out of the infield, a fly-ball to center
field, until the seventh inning.
Butler improved to 32-23 on the season, the second-highest win
total in Butler softball history.
The win set up a rematch between the two teams for the league
crown. That game was suspended because of rain in the fourth
inning with UIC leading, 5-2. The championship game is slated
to resume at 10 a.m. (CT) on Sunday, May 15.
Photo by Steve Woltmann
