INDIANAPOLIS – As a staff, the Bulldogs held a 3.71 ERA last year and set a program record with 405 strikeouts. Five different players touched the mound at Purdue a year ago to record Butler's seventh no-hitter in program history, and two of the three weekend starters return to the team along with the emergence of Garrett Christman.
 
Christman, a 2018 Preseason All-BIG EAST selection, will return to the weekend rotation as a starting pitcher for BU. Christman went 3-2 on the bump a year ago with a 2.60 ERA. The right-hander struck out 54 batters in just 55.1 innings of action. He limited the opposition to a .194 batting average.
 
Christman closed out 2017 on a high note. He tossed 8.1 innings in a 1-0 home win vs. Villanova allowing just three hits while striking out nine. He followed that outing with seven innings at Georgetown in a 5-0 Butler win. Christman also took the rubber in Butler's season finale. He helped BU defeat Creighton 7-1 by throwing a complete game, three-hitter.
 
Joining Christman in the weekend rotation will be Connor Mitchell, Ryan Pepiot and Sam Hubbe. Mitchell was having a great 2017 season until an injury sidelined him for the final four weeks of the year. He went 3-3 on the mound with a 3.36 ERA over nine starts. Mitchell tossed a complete game shutout in his second start of the season at Alcorn State. He struck out 10 Braves in a seven inning contest, allowing just one hit in the 5-0 victory. He ended the year with 46 K's in 59 innings of work and limited the opposition to a .204 average.
 
Yet another BU returner with loads of experience is sophomore Ryan Pepiot. The 6-3 right-hander from nearby Westfield, Ind. was a work horse for Butler as a rookie starting in 13 games and posting a 4-4 overall record. He led the team with 79 strikeouts and posted a respectable ERA at 4.39.
 
Opening weekend will feature four games instead of the typical three that are played during the conference season. With an extra game on the schedule, Butler will throw Sam Hubbe in game four against Eastern Kentucky. Hubbe is another right-hander in the rotation for BU. He went 2-0 last year while posting a 3.16 ERA. Hubbe made five starts in 2017 and ended the season with 13 strikeouts in 25.2 innings of work.
 
Mid-week starts will go to a pair of freshmen in Joe Graziano and Connor Schultz. Graziano is a 6-2 lefty from Schererville, Ind. and Schultz is a 6-4 right hander from Cedar Falls Iowa.
 
Bullpen action will look much different this year with Ottavio Dattolo and Chris Myjak gone to graduation. Schrage has some ideas for a number of players on the roster.
 
"Josh Walker is a senior that has really improved for us," Schrage stated. "His velocity is up and he has developed a sinker that he can try out this year. I also think John MacCauley will be a staple of the bullpen this season. He has a really nice slider that is used as a swing and miss pitch. MacCauley throws in the low 90's and Brock Balderson is another guy on this team with a power fastball."
 
Quentin Miller, Kevin Napoleon, and Ryan Schmit will also come out of the pen for BU. Miller and Napoleon each appeared in 10 or more games for BU in 2017. Schmit is a newcomer from Cary, Ill.
 
"Miller will be a one or two inning guy for us this year," Schrage explained. "He has a unique delivery that comes over the top and he has developed a cutter that has been a good pitch for him. Kevin Napoleon will once again be our situational lefty out of the pen along with Ryan Schmit."
 
Jack Myers, Austin Waeghe, Grant Hurn, JT Turley, Jack Pilcher and Landen Haney all have a chance to carve out a role on this team as well.
 
"Myers has such great poise on the mound as a freshman," Schrage added. "He's got a great future ahead of him. Two other guys that have been throwing a lot of strikes are Landen Haney and Jack Pilcher. Haney's slider is much better this year and he is stronger which increased his velocity. Pilcher hit 92 on the gun this spring so we are excited to see him in action."
 
The Bulldogs will open the 2018 season with two games against Lehigh, a single contest at UNC-Wilmington and a getaway game vs. Eastern Kentucky.
 
Weekend Schedule (EST)
2/16: Butler vs. Lehigh – 12:00 PM
2/17: Butler vs. Lehigh – 10:00 AM
2/17: Butler at North Carolina Wilmington – 2:00 PM
2/18: Butler vs. Eastern Kentucky – 10:00 AM
 
Projected Starters
Friday: LHP Connor Mitchell vs. RHP Levi Stoudt
Saturday: RHP Ryan Pepiot vs. LHP Peter Moore
Sunday: RHP Garrett Christman vs. LHP Zarion Sharpe
Sunday: RHP Sam Hubbe vs. RHP Kaven Brown