INDIANAPOLIS – Butler head coach Dave Schrage hired two assistants this week to join the baseball program. Matt Kennedy and Jake Ratz will be in the dugout for the upcoming 2020 season. Kennedy most recently coached at Saint Leo University and Ratz will join BU after a stint at Iowa Western.
 
Kennedy served as the head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Saint Leo from 2017-2019. He made the move to Saint Leo after spending two seasons at Saint Joseph's College as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator.
 
Before coaching Division II baseball, Kennedy was a bench coach and hitting coach for the Joliet Slammers from 2013-15. His pro ball experience allowed him to provide instruction to hitters, catchers and outfielders.
 
Division I experience for Kennedy includes a stop at High Point as an assistant in 2013 and working for Indiana State from 2005-06.
 
Kennedy found great success at Parkland College from 2008-13. He ran team operations for a nationally-ranked program that produced seven All-Americans and had eight players selected in the MLB first-year player draft. Kennedy attained a record of 217-76 at Parkland College. The program won a national championship and made consecutive trips to the World Series (2009-10).
 
Kennedy's first stint at Saint Joseph's College came in 2004 as an assistant. After spending a year at Indiana State he returned to Saint Joseph's as the head assistant coach in 2006.
 
As a player, Kennedy was a three-year letter-winner at Kentucky Wesleyan College. He ranked top-ten in school history in career fielding percentage and assists. His high level of play and leadership paved the way for his first coaching job which occurred at Kentucky Wesleyan in the fall of 2003.
 
Kennedy will step into a role that was previously held by Andy Pascoe. Coach Pascoe left Butler to become the head coach of the Western Illinois Leathernecks on Sept. 19.
 
Ratz heads to Butler from Iowa Western where he worked with hitters and outfielders. Prior to Iowa Western, Ratz coached at Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa and Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls, Iowa. Ratz spent two summers coaching with the Lakeshore Chinooks in the prestigious Northwoods League, one summer in the Prospect League with the Lafayette Aviators and one summer in the MINK League with the Joplin Outlaws as their Field Manager.
 
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Ratz graduated from Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids ('10) before playing in Iowa Falls for Ellsworth CC.  After earning his associates degree with ECC, Ratz transferred to South Dakota State where he was a part of the 2013 squad that won the Summit League Conference tournament and competed in the NCAA Baseball regionals in Eugene, Oregon. Ratz played for Schrage at SDSU and went on to earn his Bachelors of Science Degree in Sports Management.
 
Ratz will fill the position left by Brian Meyer. Meyer recently joined the Minnesota Twins organization. He will serve as a minor league hitting/infield coach.
 
The Bulldogs will open up the 2020 season on Friday, Feb. 14 in Lexington, S.C. BU will play two games against North Carolina A&T State and two games vs. George Mason over opening weekend.