GREENSBURG — The Butler girls basketball team has been going through a youth movement this season.

The growing process continues.

The Tornado tallied a season-high 51 points, but Hempfield used a 16-4 run in the third quarter to pull away in a 67-51 victory at the Hempfield Holiday Tournament Monday.

One telling stat: Butler (1-5) sank just 20 of 39 free throws while the Spartans made 20 of 27.

“If we only made our foul shots, we were in the game,” said Butler coach Dorothea Epps. “(The Spartans) must have hit every foul shot in the game, sometimes needlessly. We didn't do that. We shot poorly from the line.”

“We're a young team and there's a lot more teaching,” Epps added. “Sometimes we have three sophomores and a freshman out there at the same time.”

The loss offset the performance of Butler sophomore Caitlin Baxter, who netted a game-high 25 points.

“She's flat out our scorer,” Epps noted. “We knew she would be, but she needs help, not just here and there. We have some do it in different spots. We're a work in progress. You did see us get 51 points. Now we need to get Cait some help.”

Butler, which averaged 36.2 points per game entering Monday's contest, still had its problems on the floor.

After Baxter closed the first quarter with a layup and opened the second quarter with another score, Butler was tied at 9-all before the Spartans (5-1) ran off the next eight points and 12 of 13 to take a 21-10 lead with 2:50 before halftime.

Baxter answered with a pair of baskets to make it 21-14 before a free throw by Hannah Falcsik made it an eight-point game.

Jasmine Bailey's basket with 55 seconds left made it a six-point game, the closest Butler would get the rest of the night.

Hempfield's run after intermission gave it a 19-point advantage late in the third quarter.

“We had a lot of turnovers and that's uncharacteristic of us,” said Spartans coach Scott Breegle. “Butler's a good team and it was a good win for us.”

Breegle used liberal substitutions in the second half, sometimes sending in three or five players at various points.

“We go about 10 deep,” said Breegle. “They all know they get to play and how well they play determines how long they stay in.”

The Spartans enjoyed a 39-23 lead entering the fourth quarter when both teams erupted for 28 points apiece.

“We have spurts and that's what this team is about,” Epps said. “We'll fall behind by 10 or 12 points and fight our way back in again. ... We just need to find a way to have all five or six players put it together.”

Mackenzie O'Donnell came off the bench to total 11 points for Butler while Danielle Murphy (15), Megan DeLisle (14) and Falcsik (10) paced the Spartans.

BUTLER 51Samantha Marak 0 0-3 0, Jasmine Bailey 2 2-9 6, Shelby Johnston 0 1-4 1, Allie Houk 0 2-2 2, Caitlin Baxter 8 9-11 25, Morgan McLaughlin 0 0-0 0, Mackenzie O'Donnell 3 5-8 11, Emily Eyth 2 1-2 6.

Totals: 15 20-39 51.

HEMPFIELD 67Courtney DiBridge 3 0-0 8, Danielle Murphy 5 5-5 15, Taylor Lubinsky 0 0-1 0, Hannah Falcsik 3 4-6 10, Megan DeLisle 5 4-4 14, Julie Peoples 0 0-0 0, Marissa Siard 1 2-4 4, Christina Santone 3 1-3 7, Emily Nelson 1 2-2 5, Lizzy Oldham 0 0-0 0, Mary Burns 0 2-2 2, Alayna Anderson 1 0-0 2.

Totals: 22 20-27 67.

Butler 7 9 7 28—51Hempfield 9 14 16 28—693-point goals: Butler 1 (Eyth); Hempfield 3 (DiBridge 2, Nelson).

Today: Hempfield Holiday Tournament: Butler vs. West Mifflin, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Hempfield Holiday Tournament: Butler vs. Woodland Hills, 5 p.m.