The Butler baseball team is about to open its season and it will be the last go for 10 seniors.

In addition to gearing up for their last collegiate season, they are making sure those after them will have great facilities as they move forward.

“We talk about it all the time,” senior catcher Radley Haddad said. “Each class coming through Butler University is getting the best.”

Haddad said the facilities continue to improve because of the fundraising efforts put forth by the team each year.

These improvements have been happening for the last five years, Haddad said.

“We have one of the better facilities in Indiana at this point now,” Haddad said, “compared to a high school field or worse before I got here.”

Before the 2012 season, the team raised between $100,000 and $120,000, coach Steve Farley said.

That money was used for new dugouts, a new brick wall behind home plate, new backstop netting, a new patio seating area and new walkways, among other things.

“In order to get better as a team, we need better facilities,” senior first baseman Jimmy Risi said.

Risi said the team’s biggest effort comes from letter writing. Each player sends a letter and a flyer to 10 family members or friends asking for donations, and over the past few years that has been working well.

Farley did not have exact numbers for this year’s effort, but the biggest addition will be a new outfield fence and batter’s eye.

A navy blue fence will replace the old royal blue fence. The batter’s eye helps hitters see the ball better and will feature banners and Butler logos, Farley said.

“The old daycare center that’s out there in center field at Butler is kind of distracting,” Farley said. “The roof is kind of light colored, so we will cover it up.”

Farley said it would make the ballpark more attractive.

“I think it will give the ballpark a homier and closed feel,” Farley said.

The team opens its inaugural Atlantic 10 season next weekend with a non-conference series at Georgia State.

“I think we are all really excited for the switch to the Atlantic 10,” Risi said. “Coach Farley says it could be the toughest season we’ve ever had, but we’ve been working a lot harder in the weight room over the offseason than last year.”

The Bulldogs finished 22-34 overall last year and 10-20 in their final season in the Horizon League.

The A-10 is considered to be a step up in the competition, as writers have predicted Butler to finish 14th in the 15-team league.

“The scouting report is, be ready every weekend because everybody can beat you, and you can beat everyone too,” Farley said.

The predicted top four teams are Saint Louis, Rhode Island, VCU and Charlotte.

With the recent renovations, Farley expects Butler’s facilities to be around the middle to upper half of those at A-10 schools.

The Bulldogs play 10 road games before opening a three-game series at home against IPFW on March 8.

Switching positions in sports is not always the easiest thing to do.

An individual switching the way he or she plays a sport is even more difficult.

Collegian file photo

Butler junior pitcher Chase Byerly has done the latter for the baseball team this season by changing his throwing motion.

During Byerly’s freshman season, Butler coach Steve Farley asked him to switch from his traditional overhand pitching style to the “submarine” style.

This style of throwing has a pitcher drop his arm and release the ball underhand and just above the ground.

“That just opened up a lot of doors for me and gave me some good opportunities to come in and make an impact right away as a freshman,” Byerly said.

Byerly has handled both the switch in mechanics and the pressure-packed role of closer well with the Bulldogs.

This was put on display when he broke two Butler saves records this year.

Byerly broke the school’s previous single-season record of eight earlier this month with his ninth save of the season in a win against Ball State on April 10.

He also surpassed the previous Butler career-high saves record of 12 and currently sits at 13.

With this unique pitching style, Byerly said he pitches for contact and relies on his infielders to make the plays.

“This submarine-style delivery causes batters to hit a lot of ground balls,” Farley said. “Chase throws a lot of strikes, and he is very tough to hit.”

Byerly said he traded velocity for movement with his new delivery. In high school, he said he used to overpower hitters and record many strikeouts, but now he pitches for contact.

His opponents have a .280 batting average against him, and he has not allowed any home runs.

Byerly said the change initially took a toll on his elbow and hips, but he was able to adjust to it.

“It’s been really effective,” Byerly said, “and I’ve been really thankful and grateful to coach Farley for giving me that chance.”

Last summer, Byerly played for the Sliders, a Prospect League team out of Slippery Rock, Pa. He won the relief pitcher of the year award in the league.

“That’s really where my closing development kind of picked up,” Byerly said.

Byerly was teammates with Butler junior catcher Radley Haddad in the league, and he said it was important in developing their relationship at the collegiate level.

“I need to be a little more focused, because the ball is coming from a different place,” Byerly said.

Byerly and Haddad were roommates while playing for the Sliders, and Haddad said they “literally spent every hour of the summer together.”

Haddad calls Byerly “not your typical closer,” because he doesn’t throw hard and over the top, making him much more difficult for opponents to get a hit off of.

“Not only is it physically tough to hit that pitch, but it’s mentally tough too,” Haddad said.

Byerly will look to add to his climbing saves total during the remainder of the Bulldogs’ eight-game road trip.

He will get his first shot at grabbing his 14th career save against the University of Indianapolis today.

“I’m really proud of him,” Haddad said of Byerly holding the saves record. “It couldn’t have happened to a better dude.”

As the spring sports season begins to wind down, many teams are already beginning to prepare for their next season.

The football team had its annual blue and white scrimmage, the men’s soccer team had its spring exhibition matches, and five teams have announced additions to their rosters for next year.

Let’s take a look forward and see how some of Butler’s teams will be changing for the 2012-13 school year.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The men’s basketball team finished the 2011-12 season with a 22-15 record, averaging 40.8 percent shooting from the field and 28.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs were ranked eighth and 10th in the Horizon League in those categories, respectively.

The team has a chance to improve with the additions of senior guard and transfer Rotnei Clarke and incoming freshman guard Kellen Dunham.

In three seasons at Arkansas, Clarke averaged more than 15 points per game and shot nearly 44 percent from 3-point range.

Dunham averaged more than 29 points during his senior season at Pendleton Heights High School.

The Bulldogs will also be adding guard Devontae Morgan from Tampa, Fla., and guard Chris Harrison-Docks from Okemos, Mich.

Morgan led his high school team to a state championship last season, averaging more than 15 points and six rebounds per game.

Harrison-Docks averaged 21 points and five steals per game in his senior season.

The team will lose only two players—guard Ronald Nored and forward Garrett Butcher.

Butler will have to make up for the loss of Nored’s defensive prowess, as well as the experience and leadership provided by the pair.

Clarke and seniors Emerson Kampen, Chase Stigall and Andrew Smith will likely be asked to step up and fill those roles.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The women’s basketball team concluded its 2011-12 season with a 13-17 record and said goodbye to two senior guards—Devin Brierly and Kaley May.

Brierly was the only Bulldog to start in all 30 of the team’s games. She recorded more than 32 minutes of playing time per game, averaging 11 points per game.

Sophomore center Sarah Hamm is the only returning player to average more than 10 points per game last season.

Hamm will be joined by sophomore guard Jenna Cobb, freshman forward Hayley Howard and freshman guard Hannah Douglas, who all played key roles on the team last season.

Butler will also be adding four incoming freshman—forward Katie Brewer from Indianapolis, guard Blaire Langlois from Carmel, guard Lexus Murry from Indianapolis and forward-center Olivia Wrencher from West Chester, Ohio.

Brewer is a versatile player who has the ability to knock down three-pointers and battle down low.

Langlois has deep range on her jump shot but also has the ability to make plays with her passing.

Murry averaged more than 22 points per game during her senior season and can also be effective on the defensive end, where she averaged 3.5 steals per game.

Wrencher will bring size to the Bulldogs that will complement the play of Hamm and Howard under the basket.

SOFTBALL

The softball team will lose seven seniors at the conclusion of its current season, including four-year starting outfielder and third baseman Lauren McNulty, Butler’s home run record-holding first baseman Erin Falkenberry and catcher Mallory Winters.

Despite this, coach Scott Hall has five incoming players who could make an immediate impact on the program.

Alex Kotter, a shortstop from Vincennes Lincoln High School, had a .615 career batting average and was an Indiana first team All-State pick.

Chelsea Conover, an outfielder from Brownsburg, led her high school team in stolen bases, runs scored and on-base percentage for three years.

Audrey East is a utility player from New Palestine High School. East is one of the best power hitters in Indiana and boasted a .902 slugging percentage, eight home runs and 47 RBIs last season.

Taylor Lockwood, a pitcher from Southport High School, has good control and will be a solid addition to the pitching staff.

The same could be said for Kristin Gutierrez, a left-handed power pitcher from Highlands Ranch High School in Colorado.

Gutierrez, a 2011 Triple Crown All-American honoree, is a dual threat with her pitching and hitting. She led her conference with 127 strikeouts and recorded a .542 batting average.

The success of the pitching recruits could be key with the loss of senior pitcher Breanna Fisher and injuries to junior pitcher Jenny Esparza this season.

BASEBALL

The baseball team will add four players who could have an immediate impact next season.

Nick Bartolone is a left-handed outfielder from Harrison High School. Coach Steve Farley said he expects Bartolone to compete for position in the outfield next year.

Chris Marras, a catcher from Vernon Hills, Ill., will get the chance to work with two fifth-year senior catchers, Radley Haddad and Nick Hladek.

Nick Saldutti is a power-hitting first baseman from Westfield High School. He hit .477 with a .571 on-base percentage in his junior season.

Drew Small is a utility player from Zionsville. He was an All-State honorable mention.

His versatility and speed will help him compete for a spot in the outfield, especially with the loss of senior outfielder Mike Hoscheit.

The Bulldogs will also lose pitchers Dom Silvestri, Mike Hernandez, Brad Schnitzer, Brian Padove and Ryan Salvino, as well as senior infielder Griffin Richeson.

VOLLEYBALL

The volleyball team is returning eight players who played in at least 50 sets last year and lost only one senior in Maureen Bamiro.

Bamiro, a former middle blocker, finished with the second-best attack percentage in Butler history and sixth all-time in kills and kills per set.

Last season, she was voted All-Horizon League.

The Bulldogs will return sophomore middle blocker Maggie Harbison, who will likely be a key contributor after being voted All-Horizon League last season.

Butler will also add two transfer students.

Freshman Erica Stahl, a transfer from Cincinnati, will be an addition to the middle blocker position.

Stahl only has four sets of collegiate experience under her belt but was named among the top high school volleyball players by the Under Armour Watch list in 2010.

Sophomore Morgan Peterson, a setter from Middle Tennessee State, will have two years of eligibility with the Bulldogs.

She averaged 8.58 assists and 1.41 digs per set last season.

The Butler baseball team put together one of its best strings of pitching so far this season.

But Valparaiso threw even better and came away with a three-game series sweep over the weekend.

On Sunday, the Bulldogs (19-21, 7-11) saw the Crusaders (18-20, 12-6) tally two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to come away with a 3-2 victory.

The contest was the second game of a doubleheader.

“The cold, windy conditions made it very challenging for both teams,” Butler coach Steve Farley said.

Valparaiso freshman shortstop Spencer Mahoney drove in the game-winning run on a bases-loaded walk.

Junior third baseman Elliott Martin drove in the Crusaders’ first ninth-inning run with a single.

Junior pitcher Chase Byerly allowed both runs, which were unearned, and suffered the loss. Butler got out to an early lead with an RBI single from junior first baseman Jimmy Risi.

Freshman pitcher Eric Stout started for the Bulldogs and gave up one run over five innings, tallying three strikeouts.

Stout was able to get out of a fifth-inning bases loaded jam without any damage done before turning things over to Byerly.

The Bulldogs added another run in the fifth inning on a home run by sophomore centerfielder Marcos Calderon.

Mahoney, Martin and senior catcher Billy Cribbs led the Crusaders, putting up one RBI apiece in the nightcap.

The day’s first game saw another pitchers’ duel, with Valparaiso winning 1-0.

Butler senior pitcher Brad Schnitzer pitched all eight innings for the Bulldogs, allowing one earned run, five hits and one walk.

The run came on a second-inning RBI single by senior right fielder Steven Scoby.

Junior designated hitter Pat Gelwicks led Butler with three of the team’s four hits. Gelwicks also found himself in scoring position three times, but the Bulldogs could not capitalize.

Crusaders senior pitcher Kevin Wild tossed a complete game shutout, allowing three walks and striking out five in addition to the four hits allowed.

On Friday, Butler senior pitcher Dom Silvestri gave up four earned runs in the first inning. It proved to be too much for the Bulldogs to overcome, as Valparaiso walked away with a 4-2 win. Silvestri silenced the Crusaders for the next six innings, but Butler could only manage two runs on four hits.

Silvestri struck out four, walked two and gave up six hits in his seven innings of work.

Butler will face the University of Indianapolis this afternoon before three games against Horizon League-leading Wright State this weekend.

“A lot of people feel outside of the league like Wright State is so much better and that they’re just going to run through the conference tournament,” Byerly said. “We want to send them a message this weekend and let them know that’s not the case.”

A late rally propelled the Butler baseball team to a 9-8 victory over Illinois-Chicago Sunday afternoon.

The contest was the second of the day and the finale of a three-game series between the two squads.

Photo by Reid Bruner

The win earned the Bulldogs (19-17, 7-8) a split of the day’s doubleheader and allowed the team to avoid a three-game sweep.

The Bulldogs trailed the Flames (14-19, 8-7) 8-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning and captured the win with four runs.

Freshman second baseman Austin Miller hit a one-out single that sent junior first baseman Jimmy Risi home and sealed the walk-off victory.

“Any win is good, but a walk-off win is something special,” Butler coach Steve Farley said. “The player who gets the game-winning hit usually remembers that day for a long time.”

Miller said his teammates gave him the opportunity to come up big in a clutch situation.

“I wouldn’t have been in that situation if not for everyone before me,” Miller said.

Miller finished the game with three RBIs, and Risi went 2 for 4 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Senior pitcher Dom Silvestri started for the Bulldogs and gave up four earned runs over six innings.

Senior pitcher Mike Hernandez got the win, allowing two earned runs over the last two innings of the game.

“Our comeback in the second game on Sunday was one of the best I’ve seen at Bulldog Park,” Farley said.

The win was a quick bounce back for the Bulldogs after losing the first game 7-5 in 13 innings.

“Players probably spent 10 hours at the ballpark on Sunday,” Farley said. “It’s a physical and mental challenge.”

Butler led UIC 5-3 after the third inning before the Flames tied it in the seventh inning and scored a pair of runs in the 13th inning.

Junior Chase Byerly pitched 6 2/3 innings in relief and took the loss.

Earlier in the week, Byerly set the record for most saves in Butler history.

UIC took the lead in the 13^th inning on an RBI single by redshirt junior centerfielder Nick Addison and added one more run on a single off the bat of sophomore shortstop Alex Lee.

Butler’s leadoff hitter reached base in the bottom of the inning before a double play stifled any Bulldog scoring opportunity.

The game was Butler’s longest of the season.

Lee led the Flames on offense, going 4 for 7 and driving in one run.

Junior catcher Radley Haddad went 3 for 5 with two RBIs and a double for the Bulldogs.

On Friday, Butler rallied late but came up short in a 14-9 loss to UIC.

The Bulldogs scored seven runs over the last three innings and were propelled by a two-run home by Risi and four RBIs from Miller.

Freshman pitcher Eric Stout gave up five earned runs in the first three innings and suffered the loss.

The Bulldogs host non-conference rival Xavier this afternoon at Bulldog Park before heading to Valparaiso this weekend.

It will be the second three-game series of the season between the teams.

Their names do not usually make headlines, and they do not get credit for wins. In fact, they go completely unnoticed most of the time.

They are the ones behind the masks—the catchers for the Butler baseball and softball teams.

The baseball team has four players who have manned the position this season: seniors Nick Hladek and Brian Padove, junior Radley Haddad and sophomore Ryan Wojciechowski.

The softball team has used a rotation of three catchers: seniors Mallory Winters and Alyssa Coleman and freshman Maria Leichty.

The catching position is a unique one and has been argued to be one of the most vital across all sports.

“To me, catcher is one of the most important positions on the team,” Butler baseball coach Steve Farley said.  “Major league scouts say that the quickest way to get to the big leagues is to be a catcher—every team wants a solid player at that position.”

In Little League play, catcher is often one of the least-desired positions.

Winters, however, has been catching since she was 12 years old.

The best of the softball team’s catchers in fielding percentage, Winters started her softball career as a pitcher. She said she decided to try catching one day and “really liked it.”

Hladek also started catching at a young age.

“When you’re little, no one wants to catch because you’re getting beat up, and it’s hot in all the gear,” Hladek said. “I liked it because I got to be in on every play.”

Pitchers and catchers are the only players that touch the ball every single play, but softball coach Scott Hall said it requires an immense amount of focus.

“They’re the only player than can see everything that’s going on,” Hall said. “Everyone else has a sort of blind spot, so [catchers] have to know what’s going on.”

Catchers do not typically get the same kind of recognition that other players on the field do, but they say they are OK with that.

“I think of it as the middle-child syndrome,” Winters said. “You’re not the star. You’re overlooked in the family and on the field, but you have a duty—whether that is catering to the pitcher or getting yelled at for the day.”

Haddad, who leads the team in doubles and has the third-highest batting average among the Bulldogs, said that catchers are not supposed to be noticed.

“I was told once that if you’re a catcher and no one notices you, you did a great job,” Haddad said. “You’re just supposed to do the things you’re supposed to do, do them right, and you’ll do a good job.”

Senior pitcher Brad Schnitzer described catchers as field generals, while sophomore pitcher Leah Bry said she thinks of them as queens and kings of the field.

“You have to be a leader when you’re a catcher,” Bry said. “Everyone’s looking at the pitchers, but they’re really ruling what’s going on.”

Farley said that it takes a certain kind of person to be able to work with different pitchers and be the leader on the field.

“Each catcher has his own personality, and each guy needs to know how to push the buttons of the various pitchers they work with,” Farley said. “You have to know when to pat a pitcher on the back and when to kind of kick him in the butt.”

Catchers take a lot of blame for when things go wrong, whether they are actually at fault or not.

“We don’t expect a lot of high fives,” Coleman said. “Most of the time we’re getting yelled at, but it’s worth it knowing that we’re a part of it.”

Despite the negative aspects of the job, Butler’s catchers said they love what they do.

“It takes a lot to be a catcher,” Haddad said. “It’s tough. It’s mentally and physically taxing—you’re getting beat up back there. It’s a warrior position.

“It’s a beautiful thing to succeed, but I love knowing that, no matter what, I get to come back out and play again tomorrow.”

The Butler baseball team piled up runs against Wabash yesterday, taking advantage of five errors and winning by a score of 17-3.

Photo by Marcy Thornsberry

The Bulldogs (16-13, 5-4) broke open the game with five runs in the fourth inning and four runs in the fifth innings against the Little Giants (13-14).

Junior Pat Gelwicks continued to lead Butler offensively. The designated hitter had a home run and five RBI in the contest.

Senior right fielder Mike Hoscheit had a home run and three RBI, and senior shortstop Griffin Richeson had three hits and scored three runs from the leadoff spot.

Seven of the Bulldogs’ 17 runs were unearned.

Last weekend, Butler took two out of three games in a weekend series against the Youngstown State Penguins.

With the victories, the Bulldogs moved into second place in the Horizon League.

On Sunday, the team defeated the Penguins (4-22, 2-7) 18-5 behind a strong performance from Gelwicks.

Gelwicks was a force once again, going 5-for-7 with a home run, a double and three RBI.

Butler jumped out to an early lead, scoring five runs in the top of the first inning.

The Bulldogs added six runs in the top of the sixth inning and collected four more in the top of the ninth inning.

Ten Butler players recorded at least one RBI in the contest.

Senior pitcher Mike Hernandez gave up one earned run and scattered six hits over six innings pitched. Hernandez also struck out two Penguins in the weekend’s rubber game.

On Saturday, the Penguins got the best of the Bulldogs, who committed four errors in the first three innings of the game.

Youngstown State won the game by a 9-3 margin despite tallying only three earned runs.

Sophomore third baseman Drew Dosch went 3-for-5 with four RBI and a double for the Penguins.

Youngstown State sophomore pitcher Patrick O’Brien scored his first victory of the season, while Butler junior pitcher Joel Leichty suffered his first loss of the campaign.

On Friday, Butler senior pitcher and Youngstown native Dom Silvestri had a successful homecoming, leading the Bulldogs to a 7-5 win.

Silvestri pitched six innings, giving up three earned runs on five hits to improve his record to 3-0.

Four Bulldogs recorded a double and Hoscheit hit a home run.

Hoscheit led Butler offensively, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Butler led 7-4 after six innings and Youngstown State was unable to rally back.

The Bulldogs will jump back into conference action when they take on Milwaukee in a three-game series from Thursday to Saturday.

Kansas State had him once.

Muscatine Community College had him once.

But now, Butler University has junior first baseman Jimmy Risi all the time.

Risi has brought power and team-leading offensive numbers to the Bulldogs despite getting off to what he called a “crappy” start.

Risi is currently leading Butler in multiple categories, including slugging percentage (.646), home runs (six) and RBI (26).

An Illinois native, Risi was a history-maker at Highland Park High School.

He set school records in home runs (27), runs batted in (118) and doubles (38). He also set the school record for best single-season batting average (.468) and eventually earned a full-ride scholarship to Kansas State.

“I stayed [at Kansas State] for a year, but I left the team right before the season started,” Risi said. “I played in the fall and was going to play for the team but decided to leave. It just wasn’t for me.”

Risi then spent two years with Muscatine, a junior college in eastern Iowa. There he led the team in home runs and batting average, among other offensive categories, during both seasons.

But Muscatine would not be Risi’s final stop.

He began emailing universities, looking to move again. Although the majority sent no reply, former Butler assistant coach Matt Tyner did.

“It was exciting,” Risi said. “I didn’t think [the Butler coaching staff] was going to email back.”

Two days after his second season with Muscatine ended, he made an official visit to Butler.

“It was kind of an emotional time,” said Risi, who had to say goodbye to friends at Muscatine, visit with family at home and visit a brand-new school, all in the span of 48 hours.

“I was home for one day, and then it was, ‘OK, now you have to go visit another school and make a decision within a week,’” Risi said.

After traveling to Indianapolis, Risi settled on Butler. He said he was enticed by the campus, the school and the people, including those who are now his teammates and coaches.

“Right from the first week on, all of the guys were great,” Risi said. “They were all so supportive and welcoming.”

Risi called coach Steve Farley “a father figure” and said that “he treats you like a person, which is different from other places.”

“Jimmy is off to a great start this season,” Farley said. “It helped that some of our players from the Chicago area played against him in high school.”

One of those players is senior pitcher Brad Schnitzer, who was on a national runner-up team with Risi at age 12.

“Jimmy is somebody who, right away, everybody really liked,” Schnitzer said. “He meshed with the team really quickly. He hits the ball harder and farther than anybody else, but he’s so humble about it.”

Yesterday in Butler’s 12-5 win over Bellarmine, Risi went 1-for-2 with four RBI and Butler’s lone home run.

“I just want to continue to help the team win and get better any way I can,” Risi said.

He said he has a couple of goals in mind for his time at Butler, including taking more of a leadership role as a senior.

The primary objective, however, is a Horizon League title this year.

“To me, Jimmy is capable of being one of the top power hitters in the Horizon League,” Farley said. “We are excited to have him in a Bulldog uniform.”

The Butler baseball team toppled Bellarmine yesterday, winning 12-5.

The Bulldogs (13-12, 3-3) scored three runs in the first inning and seven runs in the second inning against the Knights (12-8).

Photo by Taylor Cox

Butler scored 20 runs over the weekend, taking one of three games against Horizon League foe Wright State.

The Bulldogs won the first game of a doubleheader against the Raiders (12-10, 3-3) on Saturday by a score of 9-5.

The win stretched Butler’s win streak to three games.

Junior first baseman Jimmy Risi had a home run and four RBI in the game.

Senior pitcher Dom Silvestri (2-0) pitched 5.1 innings, giving up four earned runs on nine hits and two walks. Silvestri struck out two batters before relievers came in and held Wright State to one run.

In the second game of the doubleheader, senior right fielder Mike Hoscheit went 2-for-3 with an RBI as the team fell to the Raiders 19-10.

Sophomore first baseman Ryan Wojciechowski drove in two for the Bulldogs.

On Sunday, Wright State won the rubber match 14-1.

After Wright State’s coach got ejected after the sixth inning, the Raiders put the Bulldogs away by scoring eight runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Butler will head to Youngstown State this weekend for a three-game series.

The Butler baseball team had little time to rest during the school’s spring break, as the Bulldogs (10-10, 2-1) took on four different teams in nine games.

Butler fared well overall, going 7-3 during the stretch.

The Bulldogs’ most recent activity was a three-game series against conference foe Valparaiso that concluded Sunday afternoon.

Butler captured two victories in the set, winning 13-8 today and 5-4 in 10 innings on Friday. In the second game of the series, the Crusaders (5-14, 1-2) picked up a 13-8 win.

The three-game tilt capped a 19-game road trip for Valparaiso.

On March 14, the Bulldogs hosted Marian (1-12) and came away with a 12-6 victory.

A contest against Western Kentucky (8-10) the day before featured a much different result, as Butler dropped a 13-1 decision.

From March 9-11, the Bulldogs played host to Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne for four games.

Butler took three of the four contests, winning 6-4 in the first game, 4-2 in the second game and 11-4 in the fourth game.

The Mastodons (4-13) captured a 7-1 victory in the third game of the series.

The Bulldogs will stay in Indianapolis to take on Cincinnati on Tuesday before hosting Horizon League opponent Wright State for three games over the weekend.