BUTLER TWP — Alex Graham hit a long, three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to give the Butler softball team a 3-1 lead and a lot of confidence heading into the second.

Unfortunately for the young Golden Tornado, that morale boost was fleeting.

Batter after batter for North Hills strode to the plate and scattered hits all over Butler’s softball field in the top of the second inning.

The Indians scored 15 runs in the frame — all with two outs — and cruised to a 20-4 win in four innings.

North Hills leadoff hitter Madison Posterivo had a pair of home runs, a double and six RBI before Butler had come to bat for the second time.

“We have some young players out there, but I see a lot of good,” said Butler coach Tina O’Donnell. “That team was just hitting.”

O’Donnell used three pitchers in the second inning in an attempt to staunch the bleeding.

Graham got the start and managed to get two outs with North Hills’ runners on second and third before the onslaught began.

She yielded to Kat Rudolph, who then was chased and replaced by Shelby Barnette, who finally got the third out to get out of the inning.

Barnette finished the game, setting North Hills down in order in the third before the Indians struck again for four runs in the fourth, keyed by a three-run double by Anna McNickle.

O’Donnell has plans to use all three of her pitchers in games this season.

“My plan was to mix them up so they would never be on to something,” O’Donnell said. “It just didn’t seem to work.”

Graham’s three-run home run came after singles by Rudolf and Hannah Hays.

Julia Gibson then doubled, but McNickle, North Hills’ pitcher, was able to wiggle out of trouble.

“We knew we were going to come up here and Butler was going to hit,” said North Hills coach Libby Gasior. “So, we knew we were going to have to come out hitting and we got lucky in that respect.”

Posterivo later singled to fall just a triple shy of the cycle. She also scored four runs for North Hills.

“The most impressive thing is she knew what a cycle was,” Gasior said, laughing.

“She definitely did her job today,” Gasior added. “It’s good to see because she’s a hard-working kid. She was much, much more patient today than she’s been all year. That’s something we’ve been trying to stress.”

O’Donnell is stressing to her team to keep their heads up, despite an 0-4 start.

“I didn’t see them giving up,” O’Donnell said. “And we hit the ball, especially in the first inning. But we have to be more consistent in everything we’re doing.”

North Hills 1(15)0 4xx x — 20 15 0

Butler 301 0xx x — 4 6 4

W: Anna McNickle 4IP (1K, 0BB). L: Alex Graham 1.2IP (0K, 1BB).

North Hills (3-2, 1-1): Madison Posterivo 2-HR 2B 1B 4-R 6-RBI, Aidan Harrison 2-1B, Mekenzie Saban 1B 2B 2-RBI, McNickle 1B 2B 4-RBI, Kallie Kretzler 1B 2B 2-RBI, Madelyn Traub 2-1B 2-RBI, Shay Hagerman 1B 2B 3-RBI

Butler (0-4, 0-2): Kat Rudolph 1B, Faith Hansotte 2B, Hannah Hays 1B, Graham HR 3-RBI, Julia Gibson 2B, Payton Wheeler 1B

Friday: North Allegheny at Butler