Box Score
INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler Bulldogs pulled out a 6-3 come from behind win on Friday afternoon by scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning off the Saint Louis closer. In the end
Ottavio Dattolo would come up with the win and senior
Chris Myjak would close the door for his fifth save of the young season.
Friday was a pitcher's duel as each team put their ace on the mound in the first game of the three game series.
Jeff Schank posted solid numbers for Butler, going six full innings and allowing just one run off five hits. Schank struck out seven before leaving the game and only walked two.
His counterpart was equally as impressive as Miller Hogan tossed seven full innings against Butler limiting the 'Dawgs to just two earned runs off four hits. He struck out six and walked one.
The Bulldogs would open up the scoring in the bottom of the fourth as
Michael Hartnagel broke up the Hogan no-hitter with a bunt single to third base. The speedy Hartnagel would reach on a close play and extend the inning to
Gehrig Parker. Batting in the five-hole, Parker went to the plate and delivered an RBI double off the wall in left. His first double of the game would push his season RBI total to 11.
The slim 1-0 lead would hold until the sixth inning when Saint Louis recorded a triple to right center with just one out. Leimkuehler would then single to left which would score the game-tying run. Saint Louis increased their lead to 3-1 in the top of the seventh with two runs off a four-walk inning.
Luke Johnson entered the game for Schank in the seventh and picked up one out before handing the ball off to Dattolo.
The bases were loaded for Dattolo when he entered the game. He walked the first batter he faced, but got Butler out of further trouble with a pair of pop flys to the outfield.
Everything changed in the bottom of the eighth inning as Hogan left the game. Saint Louis replaced the ace with their closer, Ryan Lefner, a player that entered the weekend with a 0.00 ERA.
The Bulldogs remained aggressive in the box and it worked as
Zach Jarosz came up with a one out single to right. The BU second baseman came all the way around to score on the next at-bat as Houston sent a ball to deep right center for an RBI double.
The hit parade continued with
Garrett Christman finding room in left field. His base hit put runners on the corners for Butler with
Michael Hartnagel at the plate. Butler's hottest hitter of the season didn't disappoint as he doubled to right center to score Houston and move Christman all the way around to third. Saint Louis would then intentionally walk Parker to load the bases and pull their closer for Sean Frontzak.
Frontzak would throw a wild pitch to increase the BU lead and an RBI groundout from
Jordan Lucio would move the game to 6-3 in favor of the home team, a score that would hold in the top of the ninth thanks to Myjak.
Houston, Hartnagel and Parker would all record multi-hit games while all five RBI's on the day came from a different player. The win moves Butler to 10-6 on the year while the setback went down as just the third of the season for the Billikens.
These two clubs will face off again tomorrow at Bulldog Park with an early 11 AM first pitch.
