The Butler softball team was eliminated from the NCAA tournament Saturday, losing its opener to No. 9 Kentucky, 6-1, and the elimination game to Illinois, 2-1 in eight innings in Lexington, Ky.
Illinois' Alyssa Gunther singled to lead off the bottom of the eighth and scored the winning run on Nicole Evans' double. Mikeila Boroff went the distance in the circle for Butler, which was playing in the NCAA tournament for the first time.
Illinois took a 1-0 lead in the third inning but Butler tied it in the fourth was Brandyce Sallee doubled, Kaitlin Doud singled and an error brought in Sallee.