The phrase “signature victory” is thrown around quite a bit in college basketball.

In NCAA Division I men’s basketball, a team generally needs at least one in a season to garner consideration for the 68-team championship tournament field.

The phrase basically refers to a win over an opponent that was either an upset or very difficult to attain. Such a win shows a team’s mettle and proves it belongs with the proverbial ‘big dogs’.

Unsurprisingly, the term has popped up quite a bit since the 2006-07 season when pundits mentioned the Butler men’s basketball team.

This season’s Bulldogs have seen the term applied to at least one of their victories so far.

As Butler coach Brad Stevens has done each season since becoming head coach, the Bulldogs were peppered with a tough non-conference schedule, one that could reward Butler with some

Collegian File Photo

signature wins in exchange for strong play.

Butler did not show up against Xavier in November in what was their only true bad loss so far.

Following that game, the Bulldogs slipped past now-No. 25 Marquette, suffocated then-No. 9 North Carolina and were clipped by current No. 23 Illinois.

Some might consider the contest against the Tar Heels a signature win, but UNC has shown that it really is not a great team, at least not yet.

I think Butler would beat Marquette more convincingly given another matchup, and Illinois has been inconsistent as of late, proving those aren’t really signature victories either.

Four games and four victories after the Illinois loss, Butler had a chance for its first true signature win this season.

The game against then-No. 1 Indiana on Dec. 15 screamed signature win if Butler could get it done.

And the Bulldogs did.

Butler was ranked No. 19 in the nation after the heartstopping overtime win. The Bulldogs were victorious in the remainder of their games heading into Atlantic 10 Conference play for the first time.

At this point, some may be asking: are these “signature victories” really that important in the grand scheme of a season?

If Butler loses to Indiana and everything else remains the same, you have a 14-3 team that still recorded strong victories against UNC, Marquette, Northwestern and three above-.500 teams in the A-10.

If the Bulldogs continue to be strong in A-10 action, finish with four, five or six losses, they’re still set up for a solid tournament seed, right?

Let’s take a look back at Stevens’ last year as a Butler assistant coach and first season as the man at the helm.

Butler was part of the Horizon League prior to this season. Not exactly a NCAA men’s basketball champion-producing league.

Signature victories were needed consistently by Butler’s squads in order to secure a stronger position in the NCAA championship tournament.

During the 2006-07 season, Butler defeated a 24-11 Tennessee team that made the Sweet 16 and was nationally ranked when it faced Butler, a 24-7 Notre Dame squad, a 22-11 Indiana squad and a 23-10 Gonzaga team.

The result: a No. 5 seed and a trip to the Sweet 16.

The 2007-08 season saw Butler face typically strong programs facing down seasons, including a four-game stretch against Michigan, Virginia Tech, Texas Tech and Ohio State.

The Bulldogs finished 29-3 in the regular season, better than the previous season’s 27-6 record.

The 2006-07 squad earned a No. 5 seed without winning the Horizon League tournament.

The 2007-08 team won that same tournament, won more games overall and garnered a No. 7 seed.

The message: signature wins matter.

Now let’s get back to this season’s team.

The A-10 is a solid conference overall. Seven of the 16 teams have no more than four losses against at least 12 victories. Xavier is not included in those seven but is one of four teams to start 3-0 in league play.

The other three are Butler, Virginia Commonwealth and Charlotte. VCU is No. 22 in the nation right now at 14-3, and Charlotte is 15-2 against a relatively unimpressive non-conference schedule and three A-10 foes.

Butler plays VCU once in the regular season, barring a conference tournament matchup. While a victory in that contest for Butler could be considered a signature win, it is now a game the Bulldogs will be part of each year for the foreseeable future.

In-conference victories don’t tend to be signature unless it’s the last-place team toppling the first-place one.

So it would seem Butler will have to make do with the signature win(s) it has, since A-10 play is well underway.

However, there is one not so small matter remaining:

No. 13 Butler still has a non-conference opponent to face this regular season. The game will take place tomorrow at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

It’s against No. 8 Gonzaga.

If it’s even possible, the stage might be set for an even more momentous Butler signature victory this weekend.

Let’s start with the uncontrollable factors.

Gonzaga, like Butler, has been a very strong mid-major program in recent years. These Bulldogs are rolling along much like Butler’s.

In fact, both teams’ last loss was to Illinois, although the Zags fell at home and Butler on a neutral court.

Scheduling Gonzaga in the midst of conference play is a test for any team. For Butler, add on that this is its first season in the A-10, and the level of risk rises.

Also, being ranked eighth nationally is obviously a bit stronger than being ranked 13th.

Even with Gonzaga being the travelling squad, this is clearly a signature victory opportunity for Butler.

There is one more crucial detail to bring to light, however.

Butler senior guard Rotnei Clarke is not expected to play in the game with a neck injury.

Photo by Heather Iwinski

He is the team’s leading point scorer and one of its best—if not the best—offensive playmaker.

He’s mobile, agile and can free up space for a 3-point shot from out of nowhere.

His effect on any Butler game cannot and should not be understated.

In the 16 games that Clarke has played in this season, he has scored more than 10 points 12 times. He led or was tied for the team lead in scoring in 10 of those games.

Butler is shooting 47.4 percent from the field in the 12 games mentioned just before.

In the four games Clarke scored less than 10 points, including the five in his injury-shortened Dayton outing, that percentage drops to 44.8.

Against Richmond Wednesday, the Bulldog churned out a motley 37.5 percent performance from the field. Butler’s stingy defense more than made up for this.

That might not work so well against Gonzaga.

Butler rebounds slightly better than Gonzaga (94th nationally versus 109th), but the Zags are a far better shooting squad than Richmond.

They are eighth in the nation in points per contest and the second best shooting team, percentage-wise.

Making matters more difficult, Gonzaga has allowed more than 70 points in a game just four times this year.

Butler can continue to work the shutdown defensive strategy that led to a victory over Richmond, but the Bulldogs will need to play far better offensively than they did Wednesday to grab win number 16.

The addition of Clarke to Saturday’s lineup would go a long way toward that.

But that is not one of the cards Butler has been dealt.

So we come back to signature victories.

Many key statistics and facts suggest Gonzaga should pull this game out.

Of course, Stevens and his Bulldogs have never really cared about what the statistics and facts suggest.

And that’s how season-changing games—signature wins—are created.

This is a chance for Butler to show it has enough pieces to stop a Top 10 team despite its sidelined leading scorer.

This is a chance for Butler to prove to the nation—and specifically the A-10—that teams should be very afraid to come to Hinkle Fieldhouse.

This is a chance for Butler to display its mettle on an ESPN telecast and to give those who make the NCAA tournament bracket a heck of a lot to think about in March.

Clarke is expected to be back for the Bulldogs next week. For now, however, Butler has an opportunity to prove it can live—and even thrive—without him.

The Butler men’s and women’s cross country teams enter the 2012 season in an unfamiliar position in their new home in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Coach Matt Roe said that while the Bulldogs were consistently at the top in the Horizon League, the team will face a higher quality of competition in the A-10 this season.

“I think (the A-10) is a stronger conference than the Horizon League overall, and the field will be more crowded,” Roe said.

The team will find themselves looking up at La Salle in their new conference

The Explorers were the winners of both the men’s and women’s A-10 titles last season.

The Butler men are coming off a streak of 14 straight Horizon League team championships. The women’s team had won nine of the last 10 Horizon titles, including the last three.

La Salle has won eight A-10 men’s cross country titles in the last 13 seasons while the women have won seven A-10 championships in the last 11 seasons.

La Salle will be returning senior Alfredo Santana, the 2011 A-10 Most Outstanding Performer, who won last year’s conference championship race.

The Explorers also return three top 12 finishers from last season’s A-10 conference championship race on the women’s side.

Senior Shelbi Burnett, last year’s Horizon League Female Cross Country Athlte of the Year, said she thinks the task of being the underdogs to conference favorites La Salle will give the team additional motivation.

“It’s a good position to be in because that gives you that kind of fire,” Burnett said. “It lights a fire underneath you to train harder and be faster, and ultimately, that’s what leads to greater success.”

Butler will be without last year’s Horizon League Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year Callum Hawkins, who was academically dismissed by the university.

First team All-Horizon League junior Ross Clarke and sophomore Tom Curr are the top returning members on this year’s squad.

Senior Kevin Oblinger and sophomore James Martin will also be back after their top-10 finishes in last year’s conference championship race.

Burnett will return as well as four other runners from last year’s conference-championship team.

Butler will have to cope with the absences of Lauren Haberkorn and Rebecca Howarth, who finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in the 2011 conference championships. Both graduated last year.

Burnett said facing unknown opponents in the A-10 might not be much of a drawback.

“There’s a lot we don’t know, obviously, but that’s kind of an advantage because being naïve isn’t necessarily a bad thing when it comes to running,” Burnett said. “I think the biggest challenge will be going in with the confidence that we know we can compete well, no matter the competition.”

Roe said that the teams would not change their collective philosophy because of their location in the preseason rankings.

“We’re going to prepare the same way and do the best to our ability and get the best result we can,” Roe said.

Butler University’s move to the Atlantic 10 Conference brought praise from  coaches of several different athletic teams on campus.

Men’s basketball coach Brad Stevens said the move to the A-10 was no surprise and that the conference is one of the best basketball conferences in the county.

“It is one heck of a basketball league, and [it will be] strong this year,” Stevens said.

Stevens also said that this move provides his team a better chance of entering the NCAA tournament. Last year, the A-10 sent four teams to the NCAA tournament, whereas the Horizon League sent only one.

While there may be greater opportunities in basketball, softball saw no change in its quest for a championship.

The softball team must win the A-10 tournament in order to advance to the NCAA championship tournament, just as it was required to do in the Horizon League.

Despite this challenge, coach Scott Hall called the move a great opportunity and said he is excited for different challenges.

Hall, who enters his third year as Butler’s coach, said though he was just getting adjusted to Horizon League play, he is glad the move was made.

“I’m excited for the change,” Hall said. “Butler is a better fit for the A-10.”

As a spring sport, softball has more time to prepare for its new opposition. Hall said his upperclassmen are excited for the change in competition and scenery.

Men’s soccer coach Paul Snape also had a positive reaction to the move.

“We can really establish ourselves (in the A-10),” Snape said.

Butler’s change in conference entry date was altered over the summer, and, as a result, soccer and other fall sports have had little time to prepare for their new opponents.

Snape said his team moved on because there was nothing they could do.

Snape said the team was lucky that it did not have to change its packed and competitive schedule despite the quick move.

Stevens, Hall and Snape all said that this move will be great for the university within and outside athletics.

All three said they believe the move to the East Coast will drastically help their teams through recruiting, exposure, demographics and new markets.

Snape said more people will see the Bulldog signage, and the move exposes Butler to a region that may not know a lot about Butler.

“Whether you’re looking at academic reputation, recruitment of students, athletic competition and branding and so forth, it’s getting our brand out there on a bigger stage,” athletic director Barry Collier said.

Stevens said that the exposure of Butler on the East Coast should help build the school’s reputation nationwide.

“[The move] will show how ‘The Butler Way’ is the way to go,” he said.

The question still lingers as to why Butler University made the decision to move to the Atlantic 10 conference a year earlier than planned, regardless of whether it was for the best.
President Jim Danko announced on May 2 that Butler was moving to the A-10 from the Horizon League.
“We considered many aspects and came to the conclusion that this was the best move for the athletic program and the university as whole,” Danko said.
Just a month after the initial announcement, the decision was made to switch conferences immediately, rather than wait until the 2013-14 academic year like originally planned.
“When you decide to leave for another conference, you obviously think that’s a benefit to you, and this way we are only benefitting a year early,” athletic director Barry Collier said.
The fact remains that the decision was made quickly–a month after the initial decision to play an additional season in the Horizon League before moving.
Virginia Commonwealth, or VCU as it is more commonly referred to, was in a similar situation.
VCU announced it was moving from the Colonial Athletic Association to the A-10 just two weeks after Butler did.
The university petitioned for early entrance into the conference as result of a CAA bylaw that would prohibit any Ram’s sport from participating in conference championships.
This could potentially hinder VCU’s chances of appearing in the NCAA tournaments, which was a concern, considering its men’s basketball team has played in four of the last six NCAA tournaments, including five since 2004.
There was speculation from a source with knowledge of the situation that Butler would have faced similar penalties.
However, a contractual agreement between Butler and the Horizon League prevents details of the exit from being revealed.
After the announcement was made last May, Horizon League commissioner John LeCrone said that the league does not have a bylaw preventing a departing member from competing in conference championships like the CAA does.
President Jim Danko did hint, however, that other Horizon League presidents wanted an immediate departure.
“I don’t think the presidents wanted us to have a swan song in their arenas,” Danko said. “It was like a divorce—the quicker we get out of the house, the better.”
Bill Benner, senior associate commissioner for external affairs for the Horizon League, had no further comments regarding the move, citing the agreement between the league and Butler to keep any information confidential.
Butler had been a member of the Horizon League since 1979. The league was previously known as the Midwestern Collegiate Conference and the Midwestern City Conference prior to that.
Collier said that both parties had discussions about what would be best for everyone and that the decision was made to separate immediately.
A-10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade said Butler contacted the A-10 with a petition for early entrance.
“We were made aware of a challenging situation that would have made it difficult (for Butler) to remain in the current conference,” McGlade said.
McGlade said she could not comment on the specifics of the situation.
“The unexpected circumstances that precipitated Butler’s request to move immediately were unfortunate, but the decision to accept Butler was an easy and unanimous one,” McGlade said.
The relationship between Butler and the Horizon League will continue, however.
There is a chance that Butler fans could still see rivalry games being played between Butler and members of the league.
“We are open to the possibility of continually scheduling those teams, but there is no formal agreement between us,” Collier said.
All Butler teams will begin competing immediately in the A-10 with the exceptions of football, which is remaining in the Pioneer Football League, and women’s golf, which will participate in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

According to a report from ESPN’s Andy Katz, Butler will officially join the Atlantic 10 conference tomorrow for the 2013-14 school year.

Katz reported that Butler will leave the Horizon League in all sports. No mention is made of Butler’s football team, which is a member of the Pioneer Football league, but earlier reports about a possible move indicated the team would remain where it is now.

The Bulldogs will replace Temple in the Atlantic 10 and will now be in the same conference as Xavier, Dayton and 11 other schools.

Reports have also suggested that the Atlantic 10 is in talks with Virginia Commonwealth and George Mason, both memebers of the Colonial Athletic Association.

An official announcement of the jump is expected tomorrow.

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 softball team split the first two games of its three-game series against Horizon League rival Wright State yesterday.

Photo by Josh Morris

In the first game of the series, the Bulldogs (17-26, 7-7) grabbed a 5-1 victory.

Butler got on the board early with a two-out RBI double from senior catcher Mallory Winters.

Then, with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth inning, senior Alyssa Coleman recorded a pinch hit, three-run double to pad Butler’s lead.

The Bulldogs added one more run in the sixth inning.

In the second game, Butler started out strong again.

Freshman third baseman Callie Dennison scored on a single by junior Meaghan Sullivan in the bottom of the first inning.

The Raiders (18-24, 6-8) tied it up in the second inning before the Bulldogs added an unearned run in the third inning.

Errors would plague Butler the rest of game.

The Raiders added two runs in fifth—both unearned—as a result of Butler fielding errors.

The Bulldogs tried to rally in the bottom of the sixth inning, but mistakes on the base paths prevented them from scoring.

“It came down to four errors and some critical base-running mistakes,” coach Scott Hall said. “We have to be able to execute.”

The bright spot for Butler were  solid pitching performances from sophomore Leah Bry in both games.

“Leah was awesome today,” Hall said. “We just have to do a better job of playing defense and backing her up.”

Last weekend, the Bulldogs won one game in a three-game series against conference opponent Green Bay.

Butler lost the first game 4-1, not getting a hit until the seventh inning.

Bry took the loss for the Bulldogs.

The second game was a different story, with the Bulldogs recording a season-high 17 hits and winning by a 9-8 margin.

Butler got out of the gate quickly, scoring four runs in the first inning.

Three of the runs came from a swing of the bat, as senior outfielder Lauren McNulty cracked a three-run home run.

The Phoenix (15-17, 4-5) answered back and took a 7-4 lead into the sixth inning.

In the top of that inning, freshman infielder Kristen Boros hit a solo home run to cut the lead to two.

Butler then tied the game with two runs in the seventh inning.

McNulty broke the 7-7 deadlock in the 10th inning with a solo shot to center field.

It was her sixth long ball of the season.

The Bulldogs added an insurance run with a double from freshman Maria Leichty and an RBI single from Winters, giving the Bulldogs the 9-8 win.

Senior pitcher Breanna Fisher picked up her fourth win of the season.

In the final game of the series, the Phoenix recorded 13 hits and scored 11 runs in just four innings.

Photo by Josh Morris

Butler had only four hits and three runs in the 11-3 loss.

The Bulldogs did pick up a non-conference win last Thursday against Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Butler had five hits and a shut-out performance from Bry on the way to 4-0 victory.

The Bulldogs will finish the three-game series against Wright State today.

Butler will then close out its six-game homestand with a three-game series against Detroit this weekend.

The downtown digs of the Indianapolis Indians became the home of Butler baseball yesterday as the Bulldogs (18-15, 6-6) faced Ball State at Victory Field.

Two eighth-inning home runs gave Butler an 8-6 comeback win over the Cardinals (7-22, 3-6).

After grabbing an early 1-0 lead, the Bulldogs gave up six runs in the third inning.

Senior pitcher Dom Silvestri was charged with all six of Ball State’s runs.

The first two Cardinal batters of the inning walked and singled, setting up four consecutive run-scoring at-bats.

Butler whittled away at the lead by scoring two runs in the fifth inning and another one in the sixth, cutting the score to 6-4.

Junior designated hitter Pat Gelwicks struck a two-run home run to tie the game at six in the eighth inning.

Two batters later, junior first baseman Jimmy Risi hit a go-ahead two-run home run to give the Bulldogs an 8-6 advantage.

With the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning, junior pitcher Chase Byerly held off the Ball State rally by striking out sophomore shortstop T.J. Weir and forcing a groundout from sophomore first baseman Cody Campbell.

Prior to the contest, junior catcher Radley Haddad said playing in a professional ballpark like Victory Field is the dream for many players.

“All of us as college baseball players have the goal to play at the next level,” Haddad said. “Playing in a bigger stadium, getting our name out there and putting Butler on the map is pretty cool.”

Junior infielder Lucas Calderon said he was also excited to play at Victory Field.

“Ever since you’re a little kid, you want to play on a professional field and in one of the nicest minor league ballparks,” Calderon said.

Calderon’s family in Florida was also able to watch the game since it was televised.

“[I’m looking forward to] the chance to play in a televised game because that means my family back home in Miami will be able to watch me,” Calderon said before the game.

Prior to taking on the Cardinals, the Bulldogs visited Horizon League opponent Milwaukee for a three-game series.

Butler fell to the Panthers (11-17, 6-6) in the rubber game Saturday, losing 16-4. The Bulldogs committed four errors that helped the Panthers score five unearned runs.

Butler junior centerfielder Jack Dillon picked up two hits and an RBI in the loss.

Butler picked up a 3-2 win in Friday’s game at Milwaukee thanks to an odd first inning inside-the-park home run in the first inning by senior right fielder Mike Hoscheit.

With runners on first and second, Hoscheit hit a fly ball to right field, and the foot of Milwaukee sophomore right fielder Ryan Solberg became stuck in the fence as he was fielding the ball.

With Solberg unable to break free from the fence to make the play, Hoscheit, Gelwicks and Risi scored the Bulldogs’ only runs of the game.

Butler lost the series opener Thursday in a 14-2 loss to Milwaukee.

The Bulldogs will host Illinois-Chicago for a three-game series starting Friday.

The Butler softball team traveled to Morehead State yesterday and won one of two games.

The Bulldogs (14-23, 5-4) tallied double-digit runs for the first time this season in an 11-5 victory over the Eagles (11-23).

Photo by Rachel Anderson

Trailing 5-4 entering the seventh inning, Butler went on the offensive and scored seven runs against Morehead State’s bullpen.

In the first game between the teams, Eagles junior Katie Pfost pitched a complete game shutout, and Morehead State won 1-0.

Over the weekend, the Bulldogs took two out of three games from Illinois-Chicago in a Horizon League series.

The Flames (15-19, 3-3) captured an 8-4 victory in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday at BU Softball Field.

UIC tallied eight runs in the first four innings of the contest, and Butler was never able to recover despite rallying in the seventh inning.

With the win, the Flames avoided the sweep and ended Butler’s five-game winning streak.

The Bulldogs dominated the first game of the doubleheader, winning by a score of 9-0 in five innings.

Junior pitcher Jenny Esparza pitched a complete game, recording five strikeouts and allowing three hits.

On Friday, Butler won a 4-3 nail-biter in the first game of the series.

Freshman second baseman Kristen Boros, senior designated hitter Erin Falkenberry and senior catcher Mallory Winters all hit home runs for the Bulldogs.

Boros also was named the Horizon League Player of the Week on Monday.

Butler will host Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis for a pair of games Thursday.