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INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler baseball team will return to action this weekend with games against Jackson State and Prairie View. The Bulldogs will play Jackson State on Friday at 3 PM. Saturday will feature a doubleheader with Butler playing Prairie View at 1 PM and Jackson State after at 5 PM.
 
Weekend Schedule
Friday, Feb. 25 – 3 PM
Saturday, Feb. 26 – 1 PM
Saturday, Feb. 26 – 5 PM
*All games played at Braddy Field
 
Scouting Jackson State
The Tigers are 3-2 overall heading into the weekend. They opened the 2022 campaign by playing in the MLB Andre Dawson Classic against Grambling State, Southern and Prairie View in New Orleans. Two losses were followed by three-straight wins. After leaving the Big Easy, Jackson State hosted a doubleheader against Tougaloo College and swept the Bulldogs 10-0 and 10-3.
 
Chenar Brown, El'Rico Riley and Jatavis Melton were the biggest bats in the Jackson State order over the opening days of the season. Brown holds a .438 average with seven hits in 16 at-bats. He has three doubles, one triple and four RBI. Riley already has two home runs this year for a team-best five RBI. Melton is another home run hitter with a .385 average.
 
On the mound, Juan Marulanda is the team leader in innings pitched and strikeouts. He has a 4.70 ERA and is 1-0 on the mound. Austin Campbell and Steven Davila also have wins on the mound. Davila is second on the team with eight strikeouts.
 
Scouting Prairie View
The Panthers were also part of the Andre Dawson Classic tournament field. They left opening weekend with a 1-2 record, posting a 15-7 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday. Multiple Prairie View starters are batting over .400 early in the season and Blake Redman is off to a hot start with three doubles and three RBIs. Dominic Cox and Paul Castro each have four hits in eight at-bats.  Cox added a homer to his stat line while Castro posted a double and triple.
 
On the mound, Victor Mendoza is 1-0 with a 16.87 ERA. Joshua Larzabal has a team-best seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings of action. Prairie View could start Roberto Maldonado against Butler. He pitched three innings in his first appearance of 2022 with five strikeouts.
 
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Cory Bosecker earned the opening day start against Murray State and helped give the Bulldogs an early 4-1 lead before exiting early in the sixth inning. Overall, he posted six strikeouts with just two earned runs allowed.
 
Reached Base Streak
Aaron Steinhart, Travis Holt and James Gargano have reached base safely in all three games this year.
 
Heavy Hitters
Aaron Steinhart and James Gargano are each on a three-game hitting streak.
 
Top of the Order
Over the first three games of the season, Travis Holt has led-off; AJ Poynter has hit second; Aaron Steinhart is in the three-hole; James Gargano has been cleanup.
 
On the Move
Butler stole five bases over opening weekend. Four different players swiped a bag for the Bulldogs.
 
Hey There Holt
Travis Holt is leading the team with a .400 BA over the first three games of the season.
 
Get on Base
Ryan O'Halloran leads the team with a .583 on-base percentage. He has three hits, has walked twice and has been hit by a pitch twice.
 
Going, Going, Gone
James Gargano and Billy Wurch are the home run leaders on the team. Gargano hit the first BU home run of the year in the top of the fifth inning in Sunday's getaway game at Murray State. The ball cleared the fence to left centerfield. Wurch went yard in the top of the seventh after entering the game as a pinch-hitter. His grand slam came with Holt, Van Liere and Jones on board.
 
Team Highs
Runs – 12
Hits – 12
RBIs – 12
Total Bases – 20
 
Up Next
The first midweek games of the 2022 schedule will be up next for the Bulldogs. Butler will play at Northern Kentucky on Tuesday, March 1. The home opener will follow on Wednesday with Butler hosting Manchester at 3 PM.