Caitlin Baxter drew a bases-loaded walk which sent Sadie Marak home with the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Butler softball team opened the season with a 2-1 victory over Plum.

Butler had tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning when Becca Schnur, who had reached on an error, scored on an error.

Plum had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the eighth inning.

Angie Reddick earned the win with nine strikeouts and allowed just three hits.

In jayvee action, Plum downed the Tornado 6-1 despite six strikeouts in a complete-game effort by Aubrey Schmeider. Erin Pennington had a double and Schmeider a single for Butler (0-1).

• Karns City's Ceanca Everetts, Brooke Hiles and Breezzie Rich all tripled, but Ford City held on for a 10-8 victory.

• Melea Mauthe had two hits and pitcher Stephanie Kotomski fanned nine batters, but Slippery Rock dropped an 11-1 decision to West Middlesex in six innings.

Plum 000 000 010 — 1 3 2Butler 000 000 011 — 2 3 1W: Angie Reddick 9IP (9K, 4BB).

L: B. Johns 9IP (3K, 3BB).

Butler (1-0): Sadie Marak 2B

Today: Butler at North Hills

Ford City 203 401 0 — 10 11 2Karns City 310 003 1 — 8 8 2W: Markilinski 6IP (4K, 6BB).

L: Breezzie Rich 7IP (3K, 5BB).

Ford City: McAfoose 2-2B, 1B

Karns City (0-1): Ceanca Everetts 1B, 3B; Brooke Hiles 1B, 3B; Breezzie Rich 3B; Ashlyn Landgraf 1B; Maggie McKain 1B; Sabrina Johns 1B

Friday: Karns City at Brookville

West Middlesex 102 026 x — 11 6 1Slippery Rock 000 001 x — 1 5 5W: Michaels 6IP (9K, 1BB).

L: Stephanie Kotomski 6IP (9K, 6BB).

West Middlesex: Comminos 2-2B, 1B; Gilliland 2B; Michaels 2B

Slippery Rock (0-2): Melea Mauthe 2-1B; Courtney Bell 2B

Thursday: Slippery Rock at Titusville

• Jason Revesz droved in the go-ahead run with a single in the bottom of the fifth inning to lead Grove City to a 2-1 win over Deer Lakes.O.J. Orlowski got the win in relief of Jon Anderson for Grove City. Anderson went the first four innings, striking out six and walking just one.Jeff Revesz picked up the save by striking out the side in the seventh.<B>Deer Lakes 000 001 0 — 1 3 1Grove City 000 020 x — 2 3 1W:</B> O.J. Orlowski 2IP (3K, 0BB). <B>L:</B> Casey Smith 6IP (4K, 5BB).<B>Deer Lakes:</B> Joe Babincak HR<B>Grove City (1-0):</B> Jason Revesz 1B RBI, Jeff Revesz RBI<B>Thursday:</B> Grove City at Butler

<B>Butler 4, Shaler 1 — </B>Will Nesbitt, Zac McCafferty and A.J. May swept the three singles matches as the Tornado (3-1) rolled past the Titans,<B>Singles:</B> Will Nesbitt (B) def. Matt Nites 6-0, 6-0; Zac McCafferty (B) def. Stephen Kimpel 6-1, 6-1; A.J. May (B0 def. Brandon McNeill 6-0, 6-0<B>Doubles:</B> Mike Titterington-Zach Taylor (S) def. Jon Condon-Erik May 6-4, 6-1; David Bright-Nick Rocchi (B) def. Craig Feehan-Trevor Allen 6-3, 5-7, 7-6

Paige Corathers scored four goals to lead the Seneca Valley girls lacrosse team to a 15-2 blowout win over Fox Chapel.Kelly Cundiff and Sam Struss each added three goals, Morgan Midkiff and Taylor Mayeda added two goals apieceand Maddie Koontz scored a goal to round out the scoring for the Raiders (2-0).Lauren Moran had 10 saves in goal for Seneca Valley. Haile Sandor also had two saves for the Raiders.

<B>Seneca Valley 3, Fox Chapel 0 — </B>Zach Herrman had eight kills and four aces and Ben Hart eight kills and five blocks in the Raiders' 25-18, 25-12, 25-17 victory.Cameron Knight added 32 assists for Seneca Valley.