Live Stats at BU | Live Stats at BSU
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler and Ball State will play three games this weekend with each team hosting at least one game. The opener will take place at Bulldog Park on Friday with a 3 PM first pitch. On Saturday, the scene will move to Muncie with the Cardinals hosting Butler in a doubleheader beginning at 11 AM.
Probable Starters
RHP
Jack Myers vs. RHP John Baker
RHP
Connor Schultz vs. RHP Chayce McDermott
LHP
Cory Bosecker vs. LHP Luke Jaksich
Scouting Ball State
The Cardinals are 12-9 overall with signature wins over Arizona and Kentucky. Adam Tellier has the best batting average on the team at .411. Tellier is one of six players to have 10 RBIs or more over the first 21 games of the season for Ball State. BSU most recently won a weekend series at home against Toledo 3-1.
Friday's starter will be right-hander John Baker. The BSU ace has strong numbers across the board. He is 2-1 overall with a 1.93 ERA. Friday will mark his fifth start and eighth appearance. He leads the team with 37.1 innings pitched and is tied for second with 42 strikeouts. The number that sticks out more than the rest comes on the back end. Baker is also tied for the team lead with two saves.
Chayce McDermott and Luke Jaksich will throw for the Cardinals on Saturday. McDermott is the strikeout king with 46. He is 3-1 on the mound with a 2.70 ERA. Jaksich is also 3-1 on the year with a 3.14 ERA. He has 42 strikeouts in 28.2 innings of work.
BIG EAST Standings
Villanova 6-2
St. John's 9-5
Creighton 6-7
Butler 5-6
UConn 10-12
Xavier 6-12
Seton Hall 5-11
Georgetown 0-0
#BIGEASTbase Weekly Honor Roll
Connor Schultz and
Aaron Steinhart were each named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after outstanding individual efforts against Valparaiso last weekend. Schultz struck out 10 batters over six full innings in his outing vs. Valpo. Butler went on to win 5-4. Steinhart hit a home run in all three games against Valpo last weekend allowing BU to win the series 2-1. He ended the week with eight RBI and four runs scored.
Myers Moves to Friday
Jack Myers will get the start on Friday this weekend with Butler playing host to Ball State at 3 PM. The right-hander has been impressive over his first three starts of the 2021 season. He holds a 2-1 record on the mound with a 3.79 ERA. Over 19 innings, Myers has 20 strikeouts and just five walks.
Schultz Leads BU in Strikeouts
Connor Schultz has a team-high 23 strikeouts in 14 innings of action. Over his last two starts, Schultz has recorded 20 strikeouts and has only walked one batter. He threw six full innings at Evansville and hit that mark again vs. Valpo last weekend.
Bosecker Leaves the Bullpen
Sophomore
Cory Bosecker will make his first start of the season and just the second of his BU career this Saturday at Ball State. Bosecker has made four appearances this season, throwing seven full innings. He holds a 3.86 ERA with six strikeouts. Last year he got through four innings in his lone start vs. Saint Joseph's.
Long Ball
Robbie McCargar and
Aaron Steinhart are responsible for six of Butler's 10 home runs this season. Steinhart has an RBI in five-straight games and now leads the team in the category with 12. McCargar has one of the craziest stat lines in the country. He has four total hits this season. Three home runs and one triple to post a .882 slugging percentage.
Top of the Order
James Gargano and
Freddie Matos will hit at the top of the order for Butler this weekend. Gargano is batting .326 with a team-best 13 runs scored. Matos is hitting .333 with four doubles and two home runs for a .571 slugging percentage. These two players are the only guys on the roster to start in all 11 games.
Streaks
James Gargano and
Aaron Steinhart are each on a six-game hitting streak. Teammate
Freddie Matos has reached base safely in 11-straight games.
Up Next
BIG EAST play opens next weekend with Butler playing a four-game series at Seton Hall. Game one will fall on Friday, April 9 at 3 PM. Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's getaway game will each get started at 12 PM.
