INDIANAPOLIS – Snowfall erased Butler's midweek game, but the team will still attempt to get three games in over the weekend by playing at Evansville. The Purple Aces will host Butler at Bosse Field. The games were originally scheduled for German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium, but that facility is not available at this time.
 
Schedule at Evansville (Bosse Field)
Friday, Feb. 28 – 1 PM
Saturday, Feb. 29 – 12 PM
Sunday, March 1 – 12 PM

Projected Starters
Friday – RHP Connor Schultz vs. LHP Nathan Croner
Saturday – RHP Jack Myers vs. RHP Shane Gray
Sunday – LHP Joe Graziano vs. RHP Jake McMahill
 
Scouting Evansville
The Purple Aces lost 6-0 at Vanderbilt on Tuesday night to move to 0-8 on the year. Tanner Craig has been great for Evansville over the first eight games of the 2020 campaign. The junior leads the team with a .407 batting average. Six of his 11 hits this year have been home runs, giving him a team-best 12 RBI.
 
On the mound, Evansville will throw Nathan Croner on Friday against Connor Schultz. Croner is a 6-6 lefty with a 0-1 record and 6.43 ERA. He has four strikeouts and seven walks over seven full innings of action. Saturday's start will go to sophomore Shane Gray. A right-hander with a 3.86 ERA, Gray has thrown a team-best 11.2 innings in two starts. He's the team leader in strikeouts with 10 and has only walked two batters. The final starter for the home team will be right-hander Jake McMahill. The 6-1 senior hangs onto a 6.75 ERA over his first two starts. He has seven strikeouts and just two walks over 6.2 innings.
 
Dave Schrage was the head coach at Evansville from 2003-06 (130-108 record). Acting head coach Ben Norton pitched at Evansville under the direction of Schrage. He also began his coaching career at Evansville in the fall of 2008.
 
BIG EAST Standings
Butler 6-0
Creighton 3-3
Villanova 3-3
St. John's 3-3
Seton Hall 3-3
Xavier 2-4
Georgetown 1-6
 
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Connor Schultz, Butler, Jr., RHP
Schultz pitched 7.0 innings in a 3-2 win for Butler over Western Illinois. Schultz struck out 12 WIU batters, allowing just five hits and one run to score for a 1.29 ERA.

Ortega Goes Off
Nick Ortega hit the first home run of the season for the Bulldogs over the weekend against Western Illinois. The grand slam in game one of Sunday's doubleheader was the difference in the outcome as BU posted a 9-4 win. Ortega went 2-for-3 in that game with five RBI and four runs scored. He currently ranks third in the BIG EAST with a .412 batting average, second in runs (7), and second in RBI (7).

One-Two Punch
Jack Myers and Connor Schultz rank 1-2 in the BIG EAST in total strikeouts. Each student-athlete has thrown 12 innings over their first two starts. Myers leads the way with 21 strikeouts and Schultz is second at 15.
 
Schedule Change
Butler was set to face Indiana at Bart Kaufman Field on Wednesday, Feb. 26, but the game was cancelled due to weather. RHP Blake Sarjent was going to get the start opposite of RHP McCade Brown.
 
Up Next
The 2020 home opener is set for Tuesday, March 3 at 3 PM. Butler will host Saint Francis at Bulldog Park. The game will stream on YouTube.