INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler baseball team moved to 16-11 on the year after taking a 4-1 setback to St. John's on Friday afternoon in the BIG EAST home opener. The Bulldogs scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, but could not generate enough offense down the stretch to pull out a comeback.
 
James Gargano scored for Butler on a wild pitch to make the score 3-1. The Johnnies would play small ball to get that run back in the top of the seventh.
 
Scoring opened up in the top of the third on a two-run, two-out double from Markey that scored Antico and Mascarella. The 2-0 advantage would grow to 3-1 in the fourth with a grounder back up the middle of the diamond from Bartels.
 
Gargano broke up the shutout by beating the catcher to home plate in the sixth. The wild pitch got past Mascarella, but took a good bounce off the backstop which caused a close play at the plate. Gargano ended the day 2-for-3 from the plate with a walk. He was the only Bulldog with two hits.
 
Joe LaSora was lights out as the St. John's ace on Friday. The lefty threw seven full innings and struck out seven. The save went to Joe Kelly, his third of the season.
 
BU ace Ryan Pepiot was taken off the mound after 3.2 innings of action. Pepiot struck out seven in that time, but also walked seven. Jack Myers came in to close out the game for BU. Myers limited the Red Storm to just one run off three hits.
 
Butler and St. John's will come back to Bulldog Park tomorrow for a 2 PM first pitch.