INDIANAPOLIS – The team begins BIG EAST play at Seton Hall in a three-game series this Friday through Sunday. Action at Owen T. Carroll Field begins Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m., followed by 1:00 p.m. game on Saturday. The weekend caps off on Sunday at noon.
 
Projected Starters
April 7: LHP Jeff Schank vs. RHP Zach Prendergast
April 8: RHP Ryan Pepiot vs. LHP Cullen Dana
April 9: Connor Mitchell vs. RHP Shane McCarthy
 
About Butler
The Bulldogs game against Marian on Wednesday was canceled due to weather. The team is 19-8 overall after posting a 3-1 record in Chicago last weekend. Butler gained the upper-hand over Eastern Michigan and Chicago State in a Saturday doubleheader before falling to EMU on Sunday. Prior to the loss, the team was on an eight-game win streak and won 11 out of 12 games dating back to March 17.
 
Last season Butler finished 4-14 in conference play. The team's hot start sets them up for a successful 2017 BIG EAST campaign. Butler's record currently sits in second place right behind St. John's. The team's batting average of .261 is good for third in the BIG EAST while their 15 season homeruns ties with Georgetown in second.
 
Scouting Seton Hall
Seton Hall is 14-12 and 7-4 at home. The Pirates captured their most recent win in a 9-2 victory against Wagner on Wednesday. Ryan Ramiz leads the team with a .274 batting average while teammate Joe Poduslenko follows with .270. Poduslenko was a key hitter for Seton Hall the past several games, leading the team in hits, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, home runs and RBIs.
 
The Pirates' pitching staff holds a 3.17 ERA, good for third in BIG EAST and has limited opponents to a .242 team batting average.
 
On the Mound
Jeff Schank is projected to start against the Pirates on Friday. With 57 strikeouts this season, the lefty leads the BIG EAST and is only two away from matching his strikeout total from last year. His season ERA holds at 1.12, good for fourth in conference. Schank is 3-1 this year after pitching 48 innings.

Freshman Ryan Pepiot holds three wins on the mound over seven starts and tallied 49 strikeouts. Connor Mitchell rounds out the weekend pitchers with 34 strikeouts. Mitchell is .500 this year and is second behind Schank with over 40 innings pitched.
 
Consistency is Key
Michael Hartnagel is on a ten-game hitting streak and has now reached base safely in 15-staight contests. Across the board, the redshirt junior leads the team with a .414 batting average and .487 on-base percentage. This season Hartnagel went 5-for-5 at Furman, the second time in his career where he posted five hits in a single match. The last time was at St. John's on May 8. The school record for most hits in a single game is six, held by Kyle Waggoner who played for BU during the 2010 season.
 
Houston Hits Homers
Tyler Houston went 5-for-5 with three home runs, three runs scored and a season-high six RBI's at Ohio in a 7-6 Bulldog victory. Houston set the school record with 14 total bases and tied the school record for most home runs recorded in a single game. He was recognized as the BIG EAST Player of the Week on Tuesday, March 28.
 
Team National Rankings
Stat, Ranking (Value)
Hits Allowed Per Nine Innings, 11th (7.09)
Earned Run Average, 18th (3.02)
Strikeouts Per Nine Innings, 48th (8.9)**
WHIP, 46th (1.27)
 
Individual National Rankings
Player; Stat, Ranking (Value)
Chris Myjak; Saves, 13th (7)**
Ryan Pepiot; Strikeouts Per Nine Innings, 33rd (12.03)
Jeff Schank; Earned Run Average, 19th (1.13)
Jeff Schank; Strikeouts, 19th (57)**
Tyler Houston; Stolen Bases, 35th (12)**
Michael Hartnagel; Doubles, 69th (10)**
Michael Hartnagel; Batting Average, 18th (.414)
** - Leads BIG EAST Conference