Grand Park Map

INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler baseball team will end their spring break week by hosting the Western Michigan Broncos. Due to unplayable field conditions at Bulldog Park, the series will now feature a Saturday doubleheader at Grand Park. Action will get underway at 1 PM on field D5. The third game of the series on Sunday will move back to Bulldog Park at 1 PM.
 
Weekend Schedule
Saturday, March 16 – Western Michigan at Butler – Grand Park – 1 PM
Saturday, March 16 - Western Michigan at Butler - Grand Park - 4 PM
Sunday, March 17 – Western Michigan at Butler – Bulldog Park – 1 PM
 
Probable Starters
RHP Ryan Pepiot vs. LHP Chris Modrzynski
RHP Sam Hubbe vs. Jack Szott
RHP Connor Schultz vs. Jeff Burch
 
Pepiot Named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week
Butler junior righty posted a 1.50 ERA with a 7-1 win against Purdue Fort Wayne. Pepiot improved to 2-1 on the hill with a complete game against Purdue Fort Wayne last week. Pepiot tossed six innings, struck out 10 batters and did not issue a single walk in Butler's 7-1 win over Purdue Fort Wayne. He struck out seven of the first nine batters in the first game of the weekend series and would take a perfect game into the fifth inning. The Mastodons broke up the perfect game with two outs in the fifth. Pepiot would limit PFW to just one run off three hits. The game was called after six full innings due to heavy rain.
 
Freed Lands on BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Freed batted .500 (6-for-12) with five runs, five RBI, a double, a triple and a home run as the Bulldogs went 3-0 against Purdue Fort Wayne. The junior had no errors in the field.
 
Reached Base Streaks
Newcomers Brody McGrath and Kyle Smith have each reached base safely in all 15 games for Butler.
 
Scouting Western Michigan
The Broncos are 5-10 overall with big wins over Villanova (11-2) and Georgetown (22-1). They opened the 2019 season by losing eight of their first nine games, but got things turned around in Port Charlotte, Fla. by winning all three of their games in the Snowbird Classic. They most recently lost two of three in a weekend series at North Florida.
 
Western Michigan is led at the plate by Logan Hudson and his .447 batting average. Hudson is one of three players to hit two home runs this year. The team home run leader is Jesse Forestell with four. On the mound, head coach Billy Gernon will go with Chris Modrzynski, Jack Szott and Jeff Burch. Modrzynski will go against Pepiot on Friday. He is 1-0 on the year with a 3.50 ERA. Szott will take the mound on Saturday against Hubbe. Szott leads the team in innings pitched (20.1), games started (4) and strikeouts (14). Burch has been used sparingly in 2019. He is 1-1 on the year with a 4.15, but has only lasted 8.2 innings over three total appearances.
 
Bulldog Arms
Butler leads the BIG EAST in ERA (2.88), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.42), and strikeouts per nine innings (11.4). Ryan Pepiot currently ranks sixth in the NCAA in strikeouts with 39. Teammate Connor Schultz is off to a 3-0 start on the mound.