INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler baseball team will host Southern Illinois this weekend at Bulldog Park. The final non-conference weekend series will get underway on Friday at 3 PM. Saturday's start was also pushed up to Noon. The getaway game on Sunday is still slated for 1 PM.
 
Weekend Schedule
Friday, March 29 – 3 PM
Saturday, March 30 – 12 PM
Sunday, March 31 – 1 PM
 
Probable Starters
RHP Ryan Pepiot vs. RHP Dylan Givens
RHP Sam Hubbe vs. LHP Brad Harrison
RHP Connor Schultz vs. LHP Blake Begner
 
Scouting the Salukis 
The Southern Illinois Salukis come into Bulldog Park with a 14-9 record on the season. Ninth-year head coach Ken Henderson leads a club that lost a number of talented players to graduation a year ago. The Salukis were picked to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference this season, but are turning head with their performances in 2019.
 
SIU has put together a solid offensive lineup, led by lead-off hitter Nikola Vasic. The senior second-baseman does it all, leading the team in runs scored (25), triples (3), slugging percentage (.427) and on-base percentage (.413).
 
Vasic is followed by Grey Epps, the team leader in average (.282) and Ian Walters, the team leader in RBI (20). The Salukis are not afraid to run on the base-paths either. Southern Illinois is currently fifth in the NCAA in stolen bases with 56. Three players on the roster have registered more than 10 this season.
 
On the bump, Coach Henderson was tasked with replacing a staff that set the single-season team record in strikeouts a year ago. Brad Harrison has the best numbers of any Saluki starter. The lefty has put together a solid stat line, posting a 2.45 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 33 innings pitched.
 
Dylan Givens, the Salukis Friday starter, has also impressed in 2019. The junior right-hander holds a record of 3-1 while posting a 3.47 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. Blake Begner, a sophomore left-hander, rounds out the rotation on Sunday. Begner is 2-3 in outings this season, with a 5.97 ERA, 23 strikeouts in six starts.
 
Strikeout King
Ryan Pepiot leads the team, the BIG EAST and ranks sixth in the NCAA in strikeouts with 56. He has struck out nine or more batters in five of his six starts. He is coming off a season-high 11 strikeout performance at Valparaiso. His first 11 strikeout game this season came vs. Central Michigan.
 
No Walks
Ryan Pepiot hasn't issued a base on balls over his last 19 innings.
 
Freed is on Fire
Harrison Freed ranks ninth in the NCAA in hits (41), ninth in total bases (72), 19th in slugging percentage (.727), 22nd in RBIs (31), and 26th in batting average (.414).
 
League Leaders
Butler leads the BIG EAST Conference in base on balls (148), ERA (2.64), home runs (22), on-base percentage (.399), runs scored (173), scoring (7.2), shutouts (2), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.69), strikeouts per nine innings (10.3), triples (9), WHIP (1.22) and walks allowed per nine innings (3.84).
 
Brody Gets on Base
Newcomer Brody McGrath has reached base safely in all 24 games this season.