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Schedule Change
Friday, April 9 - Doubleheader 2 PM, 5 PM
Saturday, April 10 - 12 PM
Sunday, April 11 - 12 PM

INDIANAPOLIS – Butler opens up BIG EAST action this weekend with a four-game series at Seton Hall. The Pirates are 3-3 at home this season and were picked third in the preseason coaches' poll. In recent weeks, Seton Hall has been swept by Davidson, but won a series against Fordham. BU won their weekend series vs. Valpo, but were swept by Ball State last weekend.
 
Scouting Seton Hall
The Pirates are 7-12 overall heading into the weekend. Preseason Co-Player of the Year Tyler Shedler-McAvoy and first baseman Matt Toke were each recognized as all-conference talents heading into 2021. Shedler-McAvoy is batting .294 over the first 19 games of the year and leads the team in triples (3), home runs (3), and RBI's (16). Toke and Jerry Huntzinger are the only other Pirates to start in all 19 games. Toke his batting .224 with a team-best seven doubles. Huntzinger has played multiple positions for SHU this season. He is batting .304 from the plate with a team-high 24 hits and 18 runs scored. Yet another impact player in the lineup will be Casey Dana. The senior infielder leads Seton Hall with a .407 BA. He has six doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI.
 
Tyler Burnham, Ryan McLinskey and David Festa are likely candidates to see the mound this weekend. Festa is 1-2 with a team-best 2.28 ERA. He has 20 strikeouts over 23.2 innings of action and has only allowed six earned runs. Nick Payero is tied with Festa for the team lead in strikeouts with 20. He is 1-1 on the mound after six appearances. McLinskey has started four games for the Pirates in 2021. He has a 3.38 ERA and 17 strikeouts scattered over 16 innings. Burnham is 1-3 on the year with a 5.23 ERA. He has 15 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.
 
Seton Hall Attendance Policy
Seton Hall Athletics has updated its policy regarding fan attendance at outdoor competitions during this spring semester. Unfortunately, due to capacity limits, the policy does not allow parents or guardians of the opposing team, or members of the general public to attend games.
 
BIG EAST Standings
Villanova 12-2
St. John's 9-5
UConn 13-12
Creighton 6-7
Xavier 9-13
Seton Hall 7-12
Butler 5-9
 
BIG EAST Rankings
- Butler and Villanova are tied for fourth in the BIG EAST with a .246 team batting average
- The Bulldogs rank third in the conference with 12 home runs
- Freddie Matos has the fifth-highest batting average in the BIG EAST at .333
- Matos also ranks seventh among BIG EAST players with a .443 on-base percentage
- Aaron Steinhart ranks fifth in slugging percentage (.595) and ninth in BA (.310)
- Connor Schultz ranks fifth in the league with 30 strikeouts
- Jack Myers ranks seventh in innings pitched (26.0) and ERA (3.12)
- John MacCauley has picked off three runners this season, the highest total in the BIG EAST
 
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Jack Myers struck out six batters and did not issue a walk in his matchup vs. Ball State on Friday.  He threw 103 pitches over seven full innings and limited the Cardinals to just one earned run.
 
Myers on the Mound
Jack Myers has picked up where he left off in 2020. The Bulldog right-hander made four starts in 2020 before the abrupt end of the season due to Covid-19. In 2020, Myers had a 2-2 record with a 4.01 ERA. He struck out 34 batters and only walked two in 24.2 innings. In 2021, Myers is 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA. He has 26 strikeouts and just five walks over 26.0 innings. Combine his stats over his last eight starts and Myers has provided Butler with 60 strikeouts and just seven walks over his last 50.2 innings.
 
Team Leaders at the Dish
- Dan Harwood leads the team with a .421 batting average.
- Freddie Matos leads Butler with 17 total hits.
- Aaron Steinhart is the first Bulldog to reach double figures in the RBI column (13).
- James Gargano always bats near the top of the order and therefore leads BU with 13 runs scored.
- Robbie McCargar has three home runs and a triple in just 19 at-bats to lead BU with a .789 slugging percentage.
 
Bulldog Pitching
- Alex Voss has the most appearances on the team at seven.
- Nick Eaton has one of the lowest ERA's on the team at 2.70.
- Jack Pilcher has a team-high two saves.
- Scott Wright and Benji Downs have not allowed an earned runs this season.
- Cory Bosecker made his first start of the season last weekend at Ball State.

BIG EAST Openers
Butler's last true BIG EAST opener on the road was against Seton Hall in 2017. The 'Dawgs won game one and three to take the series. Weather impacted the 2018 opening series against Creighton. BU met the Bluejays in Edwardsville, Ill. to split a pair of games. There were no BIG EAST games in 2019 due to Covid.
 
Streaks
Keenan Taylor has reached base safely in six-straight games. He is in the midst of a four-game hitting streak.
 
Up Next
Butler will play a four-game series at Xavier next weekend. Game one is set for April 16 at 3 PM.