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INDIANAPOLIS – The Bulldogs will host the Eastern Michigan Eagles this weekend for a three-game series. The two teams will attempt to play game one Friday afternoon at 3 PM. Rain is in the forecast for both Friday and Saturday. If there are any adjustments to the schedule, those changes will be made on ButlerSports.com and on the @ButlerUBaseball twitter page.
 
Weekend Schedule
Friday, March 18 – 3 PM
Saturday, March 19 – 2 PM
Sunday, March 20 – 1 PM
All games to be played at Bulldog Park
 
Schedule Change
Friday's game was moved up to 3 PM in an attempt to miss the rain forecasted in the Indianapolis area for March 18.
 
Projected Starters
LHP Cory Bosecker vs. RHP Zach Fruit
RHP Aaron Barokas vs. RHP Thomas House
LHP Cole McDaniel vs. RHP Adam Falinski
 
Scouting Eastern Michigan
The Eagles are off to a 3-10 start to the 2022 season. Their first win came in the finale at Winthrop over opening weekend. The month of March opened with a 6-4 win at Morehead State, and their most recent victory was a 4-2 decision at Ball State.
 
The top player in the EMU batting order is outfielder Matt Kirk. The left-hander from Milford, Ohio is batting .451 with six doubles and five home runs for a team-best 13 RBI. BU arms will also need to use caution around Gabe Denton and Shane Easter. Denton has a team-best six home runs and Easter is an everyday starter with a .292 BA.
 
Weekend arms for the Eagles include Adam Falinski, Zach Fruit and Thomas House. Each student-athlete has four starts under their belt and have tossed over 14 innings in 2022. Falinski is 2-2 on the hill with a 3.38 ERA. He leads EMU with 24.0 IP and 18 strikeouts. Falinski and Fruit have each pitched a complete game this season. Fruit however is 0-2 on the mound with a 5.82 ERA. House is also 0-2 with an 8.79 ERA.
 
Out of the bullpen, EMU will throw Zach Gillig and Dom Anderson. Gillig leads the team with six total appearances and Anderson has the lone save of the season.
 
Against Eastern Michigan
The last meeting between Butler and Eastern Michigan came in Ypsilanti during the 2018 season. The Bulldogs defeated the Eagles 11-6. These two clubs split a pair of games in Chicago in 2017 and again in Highland Heights in 2013. This weekend will be the first three-game series between the clubs, hosted by the Bulldogs.
 
Undefeated at Home
The Bulldogs are 4-0 at home this season. They defeated Manchester in the home opener and swept Western Illinois in their first home weekend series.
 
Holt Keeps Hitting
Travis Holt's current seven-game hitting streak is the longest of the season for any Bulldog. He has led-off in every game at Butler this season and ranks third in the league in total hits (24).
 
16-for-16
Ryan O'Halloran, James Gargano and Travis Holt have started in every game this season. O'Halloran and Holt make up the left side of the infield with Gargano playing behind them in leftfield.
 
Reached Base Streak
Aaron Steinhart reached base safely for Butler in the first 15 games of the season, but that streak was snapped on Tuesday at Illinois. James Gargano now has the longest active streak at 12 games.
 
It's Gone
Butler hit a season-high three home runs at Illinois at Tuesday evening. Travis Holt, Lukas Galdoni and Jonathan Shoop each homered in the midweek matchup. Both Holt and Galdoni now have two home runs on the year and Shoop made his first hit of 2022 memorable with a pinch-hit home run for BU in the ninth inning.
 
On the Move
Butler has recorded at least one steal in seven-straight games. James Gargano swiped a bag on Tuesday night to move the team total to 40. Travis Holt leads the team with 11 steals; Scott Jones has seven and Gargano now has six. As a team, BU leads the BIG EAST and ranks 10th in the NCAA with 40 steals.
 
Up Next
Butler will play #7 Tennessee in Knoxville next week. The Tuesday tilt will stream on WatchESPN at 6:30 PM.