Box Score
LEXINGTON, S.C. – The Bulldogs are off to a great start to the 2017 season. Day two of the regular season featured another Butler victory, this time with the 'Dawgs defeating Ohio 15-4. BU went up 9-0 after two complete innings and would secure the win by collecting 13 hits.
 
Tyler Houston recorded the first home run of the season for Butler and Michael Hartnagel added a pair of doubles to power the offense. Additional extra base hits on the day were provided by Gehrig Parker and Connor Christman.
 
Houston's homer highlighted the second inning, but it was Hartnagel that pushed BU out in front 4-0 with his first double of the game. Chris Maranto, Houston, Jordan Lucio and Hartnagel all came around to score to give the Bulldogs a comfortable lead.
 
Hartnagel was impressive vs. the Bobcats, ending the contest 3-for-3 from the plate with three RBI and three runs scored. Lucio and Gehrig Parker also posted multi-hit games. Parker tied Hartnagel and Houston for the team lead in RBI with three.
 
The Bulldogs blew the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth with four additional runs. The scoring outbreak would continue in the top of the fifth with Ohio pushing all four of their runs across during that stretch.
 
BU added a run in the fifth and the seventh to reach 15 total. The game was halted momentarily in the sixth inning due to rain, but mother nature couldn't deny Butler who moved to 2-0 on the year.
 
Run support early in the game gave freshman Ryan Pepiot everything he would need as the true freshman came out to throw the first five innings of the game. He walked the first batter of the game, but would respond with four-straight strikeouts. Control issues popped up in the fifth when Pepiot walked the first two batters of the inning helping Ohio get on the scoreboard. His outing was still considered a success by picking up the win and nine total strikeouts.
 
Butler's Brock Balderson would take the mound for innings six, seven and eight. He didn't allow a single hit while striking out two. The final inning would go to Josh Walker who made his BU debut. Walker kept the lead intact, retiring the final three batters in order.
 
The weekend will come to a close tomorrow with Butler playing a doubleheader against La Salle and Ohio. Game one will get underway at 9 AM between the Bulldogs and Explorers. Game two is slated for 1 PM against the Bobcats.