INDIANAPOLIS – The first nationally televised game in Butler baseball history came down to the wire on Friday afternoon as the Bulldogs and the Seton Hall Pirates went to battle in game two of a three-game series. Facing a one run deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and two runners in scoring position, the Pirates would come up with a huge strikeout on a check swing that would seal the win and their spot in the upcoming 2016 BIG EAST Championship Tournament.

Zach Schellenger posted his team-high sixth save of the season for Seton Hall by tossing the final two innings of action against Butler. He moved quickly in the ninth to retire the first two batters of the inning, but a Tyler Houston infield single would keep the comeback hopes alive for the Bulldog faithful.

Backup catcher Michael DiViesti would follow in the order after replacing Chris Marras who exited the game in eighth allowing Cole Malloy to pinch run. DiViesti would do his job by sending a ball into right field to give Butler two runners on board with two outs.

Head Coach Steve Farley sent Dan Busch into the lineup moments after to run for DiViesti in hopes of sending the game into extra innings. That nearly happened as Jordan Lucio once again extended the inning for BU by pushing a single through the left side of the infield. Lucio was awesome against Seton Hall on Friday ending the game 4-for-5 with four RBIs. He collected two doubles and a triple against the Pirates before the ninth inning single.

With the SHU closer feeling the pressure, a ball would slip by home plate advancing both Busch and Lucio into scoring position after the wild pitch. Schellenger would calm down however and end the game during the next at-bat with a high fast ball that beat the check swing.

The Bulldogs fought hard to the final out after going down 6-1 in the top of the sixth inning. The Pirates scored single runs in the third and fourth innings, but extended their lead with a four-run sixth. Mike Alescio posted a two-run triple down the left field line in that frame and would eventually come around to score off a double from Mikael-Ali Mogues.

Butler began chipping away at that lead in the sixth with a Lucio RBI double down the left field line. The seventh featured more action in left as Gehrig Parker beat a ball over the outfielder's head for two RBIs pushing the score to 6-4.

After a quick 1-2-3 top half of the eighth, Butler really made things interesting in crunch time by adding a run off yet another Lucio double down the line. The inning would continue with a Bartolone sac bunt moving Lucio around to third with just one out.

Arguably the biggest play of the game would follow as Drew Small also squared up to bunt during his at-bat. The ball traveled to the right side of the diamond where Mogues was charging. Mogues made a clean play on the ball and went home with the throw. Lucio had made a break trying to tie the game, but was called out on his slide.

The Pirates would add one with a sacrifice fly in the ninth and that insurance run would come in huge as BU countered with a run of their own. In the end the game would go to Seton Hall who now moves forward as one of the four teams in next weekend's conference tournament. Zach Prendergast picked up the win on the hill while the loss went to Bobby Napoleon.

Napoleon will be one of nine seniors to be recognized tomorrow before first pitch for Senior Day. The regular season finale will begin at Noon.