Dodge City baseball opened up a critical series against Butler in KJCCC action in El Dorado and was unable to work past the Grizzlies falling 4-2 and 5-2.

The losses move the Conquistadors to 25-25 on the season and 15-11 in KJCCC action. 

Conqs will look to bounce back at home on Saturday, April 29th when the series with Butler transitions to Dodge City with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 pm. (Sophomore day recognition will take place in between games)

Game 1 – Lost 4-2 at Butler 
The Conqs would get a few early base runners but it was the Grizzlies that struck first in the contest with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. In the fourth, the Conqs got on the board working the bases loaded by a walk, Caden Matlon single, and another walk, and then brought in a pair of runs on a fielder's choice and a sacrifice bunt to tie the game at 2-2. However, in the bottom of the fourth Butler matched the Conqs two runs with two of their own to regain the lead and that ultimately would be the difference as the Conqs dropped the series opener 4-2. 

In the loss, Andrew Detlefsen was 1-3 with a double, while Matlon went 1-3 with a run scored and Brian Hallum finished 1-3 with an RBI. Donnie Rhyne added a 1-2 game with a walk. On the mound, Michael DeBattista started and threw 3.1 innings, while Zack Robinson saw a bit of action and Ashton Jenkins tossed two scoreless innings. 

Game 2 – Lost 5-2 at Butler 
Early run-producing offense by Butler in game two gave them an early advantage just like game one as the Grizzlies found their way on the board with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Butler tacked on another run in the fourth before the Conqs broke through in the fifth inning as a sacrifice fly by Nick Mesquita scored Cooper Schneider who led the inning off with a walk. Butler would also get a run in the fifth and another in the sixth to lead 5-2. In the top of the seventh, the Conqs worked the bases loaded with an Ethan Hewell single, Mesquita single, and Zandt Payne walk but a double play would follow leading to the Conqs just scoring one run in the inning and going on to fall 5-2 in game two. 

Matlon and Hewell paced the Conqs at the plate each recording two hits in the loss, as Matlon was 2-4, while Hewell was 2-3 with a run scored and walk. Mesquita added a 1-3 game with an RBI. Tristan Wolff tossed five innings of action as the starter, while both Zade Cisneros and Robinson each worked one-plus innings to finish out the game.