PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – The Bulldogs are off to a 4-1 start in the BIG EAST after sweeping Villanova this weekend. Butler earned a 5-4 win at Villanova on Sunday to complete the sweep. Michael Hartnagel led the way, going 2-for-4 from the plate with two RBI and a run scored.
 
Butler led 4-0 after the top of the sixth inning, but two Wildcat runs in the sixth and seventh would pull the home team within a run. BU's final run came in the top of the seventh.
 
Garrett Christman got the win on the mound (3-4) by tossing the first six innings of the game. Connor Schultz and Kevin Napoleon would each provide some relief and Jack Pilcher would come on for the save in the ninth. Pilcher recorded his fourth save of the season. He struck out two of the three batters he faced.
 
Offensively, BU got going in the top of the second with Hartnagel scoring off a sac fly from Connor Dall. Two more runs would come home in the third thanks to a triple to right center from Gehrig Parker and a single through the left side from Hartnagel. Houston would score the first run of the third and Parker made the game 3-0 after the Hartnagel hit.
 
Hartnagel impacted the game again in the sixth with an RBI single back up the middle. The final run would come home in the seventh for BU. Zach Jarosz broke for second base and was caught stealing 2-6. Dall however would come home to score on the throw.
 
Nova scored two in the bottom of seven. The first came on a passed ball and the second on a groundout from Toohers. BU would get out of trouble and Pilcher would slam the door on any possible comeback.
 
Butler is now 23-8 on the season with an upcoming game at Eastern Illinois on Tuesday. Their BIG EAST home opener will follow over the weekend. BU will host Seton Hall beginning on Friday, April 20.