The Butler softball team will play two mid-week games, hosting Ball State on Wednesday and traveling to UIC on Thursday. The Bulldogs (15-21, 5-4 BIG EAST) went 3-2 last week, splitting a doubleheader with Indiana and then traveling to Washington, D.C. this past weekend, taking two of three from the Georgetown Hoyas.

Payton Longest had a big week for the Bulldogs, hitting .308 on the week and posting a .615 slugging percentage. The sophomore received BIG EAST weekly honor roll accolades for her performance.

In the series against the Hoyas, Longest had an extra base hit in every game, hitting two doubles and a triple. She had 5 RBI, including a pinch hit RBI in game one, and two RBI in each of the Bulldogs' wins in games two and three. Longest also scored three runs throughout the five games.

Kaitlin Doud was also clutch for the Bulldogs against the Hoosiers and Hoyas. The junior had four hits, including a double and two homeruns, to post a slugging percentage of .611. Doud plated five runners and scored two runs between the five games. Doud's seventh inning two-run shot in game three against the Hoyas would be the deciding runs in the 13-9 come-from-behind win.

Doud (7-5) also received the game three win in the circle, giving up seven hits and six earned runs, while striking out three.

The Bulldogs' senior third basemen Alyssa Lach hit .500 last week, with 8 hits, including two doubles and one homerun. Lach ended the week with a .750 slugging percentage and two RBI. Senior Sarah Dixon also had a solid week for the Bulldogs, hitting .308 with two doubles and an RBI in the game three comeback.

Jenna Foreman came up big for the Bulldogs in game three against the Hoyas, hitting a two-run triple in the deciding eight-run seventh inning. The junior ended the week hitting .421 with eight hits
and three RBI. The BIG EAST stolen base leader also went 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts and scored four runs.

Sophomores Madi Christiansen and Christina Candotti combined for three RBI last week. Christiansen hit her first homerun of the season in the eighth inning of game two to give the Bulldogs the go ahead run in the 7-6 win. Candotti had two RBI on two hits, including one double. She also scored one run.

Alyssa Graves (7-9) went 2-1 in the circle last week, with wins against Indiana and Georgetown. Against Indiana, the freshman went 6.0 innings, giving up six hits and only one earned run with three strikeouts. In the game two win against Georgetown, Graves came on in relief to get the win. The freshman hurler leads the team in ERA (2.01), strikeouts (83), and innings pitched (97.1).

Gabbi Schnaiter registered two saves, coming on in relief against Indiana and Georgetown. The sophomore made five appearances between the five games, throwing 8.2 innings. She ended the week with a 3.23 ERA, giving up seven hits and four earned runs.

Wednesday's game against Ball State is set for a 4 p.m. first pitch in Indianapolis. The game will be streamed live on the Butler Bulldogs Facebook page. Thursday's tilt at UIC is set to begin at 5 p.m. ET. Live stats will be available here.