A career-high fourteen strikeouts from senior Kristin Gutierrez led Butler to a 5-1 win over Seton Hall in the BIG EAST opener for both teams Friday afternoon in Indianapolis. Gutierrez improves to 7-5 on the season as the Bulldogs are now 18-12. Seton Hall falls to 17-14.

Gutierrez got her first nine outs by way of strikeout and didn't let up on the afternoon, allowing only three hits and two walks. Seton Hall's lone run came in the sixth inning, assisted by a pair of wild pitches.

Butler's offense came from seven hits and a pair of Pirate errors. The Seton Hall errors came on back-to-back plays with one out in the bottom of the third. Brandyce Sallee then singled in Krosley Ogden with two outs to give Butler a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth, Cheyenne Thompson doubled home pinch-runner Jenna Foreman and then scored on a Riley Carter bunt. In the fourth, Chelsea Norwood came to the plate as a pinch-hitter and doubled in a pair of teammates with a shot to right center. Seton Hall would escape more trouble with an inning-ending double play but the 5-0 cushion was more than enough for Gutierrez.

Sallee had two hits for the Bulldogs.

Madison Strunk took the loss (13-8) for Seton Hall, allowing all five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 4.1 innings.

The two teams finish off the three-game series with a doubleheader Saturday. The first pitch is slated for noon.