PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA. – With rain and snow in the forecast for Saturday, Butler and Villanova were forced to play two on Friday, a doubleheader that signaled the start of the BIG EAST season. The Wildcats recorded a 9-1 win in game one, but Butler responded with an 11-6 victory in the nightcap.

Villanova limited Butler to just two hits in game one. They opened up an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first inning and then added two in the fourth, sixth and seventh.

Butler got on the scoreboard with a two-out RBI double from Jordan Lucio in the top of the fourth. The BIG EAST leader in doubles, Lucio found room in right field which allowed Drew Small to score from first base.

Hunter Schryver earned the win in game one which sent the loss to Brock Balderson. Schryver tossed 6.1 innings of action and struck out nine while Balderson was replaced after the first. Danny Pobereyko would get the bulk of the work for BU, but the early lead would hold giving Villanova the win.

Game two featured another quick start for the home team, but a six-run sixth inning from Butler would be the difference as the Bulldogs came up with an 11-6 comeback victory.

Tyler Houston played a large role in the outcome by going 3-for-5 from the plate with two RBI's and two runs scored. Drew Small posted similar numbers with two RBI's and two runs scored off one hit.

Chris Marras, Gehrig Parker, Mike Kseniak and Nick Bartolone all got involved offensively with multi-hit games allowing Butler to end the contest with 16 total hits.

BU faced a 6-0 deficit after two innings of play, but single runs in the third and fifth would keep them within striking distance. The sixth inning flipped the momentum as Butler scored six runs off four hits. Houston and Marras highlighted the inning by recording two RBI's each. Houston sent a single into right that scored Michael Hartnagel and Small, moments later Marras would double to left to score Houston and Lucio.

Butler would keep Villanova off the scoreboard for the rest of the game while adding a single run in the eighth and two more in the ninth.

Nick Morton and Zach Barnes were responsible for keeping the Wildcats off balance in the second game. Morton was awesome, throwing eight full innings that included five strikeouts and just one walk. Barnes came in to finish off Nova in the ninth. He was perfect in his frame not allowing a single base runner.

These two teams will come together again on Sunday afternoon to see who wins the series. The game is slated for a 1:15 first pitch.