The Georgetown University softball team (15-19, 8-10 Big East) lost two out of three games in a series against the Butler University Bulldogs (19-17, 11-7 Big East) at the Mount Vernon Athletics Complex in Washington, D.C., from April 17-19. 

The Hoyas secured a 4-0 win in the first game, lost the second 9-1 and fell short in an entertaining 9-5 loss for game three, dropping the series to the Bulldogs. 

Georgetown started the first game well, ending the first inning up by two runs after first-year infielder Taylor Francis’ RBI sent junior infielder Brooke Rebhan to home plate. The Hoyas finished the inning with another run as senior outfielder Gabby Park made it home when junior infielder Emily Strittmatter got on first. 

Georgetown kept Butler off the scoreboard through the second inning. The Hoyas’ lead grew at the end of the second when Park and senior outfielder Claire Turner successfully stole second and third bases. An error from Butler allowed for Turner to go home and put Georgetown up 3-0. 

The score remained the same until Georgetown went up to bat in the fourth inning and secured its fourth and final run of the game, with senior first and third baseman Dayanara Campos’ double bringing Park home. 

From there, the Hoyas stayed strong defensively and maintained their 4-0 win until the end, giving them game one in the series. 

Georgetown entered game two with confidence, while Butler had an eye for revenge. The game was scoreless through two innings but livened up in the third, when Rebhan blasted the ball out to left field and got the first home run of the series for the Hoyas.

Georgetown’s run brought Butler back to life. The fourth inning was a Butler onslaught. Catcher Kieli Ryan’s single managed to bring infielder Olivia Robards and infielder Makena Alexander home to put the Bulldogs ahead for the first time in the series.

They did not stop there. Catcher Alona Boydston’s plate appearance brought infielder Kayla Preiss home for Butler’s third run. Outfielder Erin Clark hit a single to the shortstop which was enough to bring Ryan home and make the score 4-1. Outfielder Cate Lehner’s RBI brought Boydston home for the fifth run and outfielder Hailey Conger’s RBI let utility Paxton Law come home for the sixth. Infielder Makena Alexander’s huge three-run home run helped Butler end the inning up 9-1 heading into the fifth inning. 

The game ran dry after that, leaving the Bulldogs with their first victory in the series. The series came down to the final game.

On Sunday, Alexander’s hit opened the scoring, sending Conger home to put Butler up at the end of the first inning. Georgetown replied in the second inning as Rebhan’s double pushed sophomore second base Nina Sarlo home to tie the game. 

The Hoyas rallied in the third inning, with Campos, Francis and sophomore outfielder Dani Koo giving Georgetown a solid 4-1 lead with help from a Butler error. Morale was up among the Hoyas, but the game was far from over.

Georgetown’s spirit quickly dropped in the sixth inning when the Bulldogs came alive. Preiss’ grounder was enough to send Conger home and bring the score to 4-2. Ryans sent the ball to right field, which brought Robards home to close the gap to 4-3. 

Infielder Rachel Hunt’s single sent Boydston to home plate and tied up the game, but the Butler rally was not over yet. Lehner’s single got Ryan home to put the Bulldogs ahead again, 5-4. The inning ended with Law getting home to make the score 6-4. 

It was a good rally from Butler, but the Hoyas were still in the game. Georgetown showed its composure and ended the sixth inning with Park reaching home from a Strittmatter single to cut Butler’s lead to 6-5. 

It all came down to the final inning, and the Bulldogs still had some fight left in them. Boydston’s massive triple got Preiss and Robards home to make it 8-5, before Lehner’s single brought Boydston home to end Butler’s at bat with a 9-5 lead. 

With the Hoyas unable to match the Bulldogs’ momentum, the game finished 9-5, and the series went to Butler. 

Georgetown will look to rebound against local rivals George Washington University on April 22 in Washington, D.C.