NJCAA Day 2: HR derby for defending champs as Butler sends 7 deep

San Jacinto vs. Salt Lake, Softball, St. George, UT, May 18, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – Oh no she didn’t … oh yes she did!

Butler’s Becca Schulte hit three home runs and knocked home an astounding eight RBIs as the Grizzlies buried Howard (Tex.) 15-3 Thursday in the second round of the NJCAA national softball tournament at the Canyons Complex in St. George.

Schulte, a sophomore who was on last season’s all-tournament team with the champion Grizzlies, hit a two-run bomb in the first inning, socked a grand slam in the second inning and then rocketed a two-run blast in the third. With the lead already 13-1, the Butler coaches pinch hit for Schulte in the fifth.

The 55-1 Grizz will play Central Arizona (52-9) at noon Friday to try and qualify for Friday evening’s quarterfinals. CAC defeated Chipola (Fla.) 2-0 on a shutout by Kyrsten Garcia.

On the other side of the winners bracket, Lake Land (Ill.), 56-12, beat Florida Southwestern State 16-8. The Lakers will battle Salt Lake Community College (51-6), the No. 2 -ranked team in the last NJCAA poll. SLCC advanced with a 5-2 win over San Jacinto-South (Texas).

SJSC stayed alive with an elimination win over Tyler (Texas) later Thursday. Other survivors in the elimination bracket were Florida SW State, NE Oklahoma A&M and Howard.

Play continues through Saturday at the NJCAA Championships at Canyons.

NJCAA Bracket

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