Series Information – PROVIDENCE
DATE:                         Friday, April 29 – Sunday, May 1
LOCATION:                Indianapolis, Ind. / softball field
LIVE STATS:                Gm1 / Gm2 / Gm3
LIVE VIDEO:                                      Gm3
 
Full Notes

The Butler softball team will play its final home games of the season this weekend when Providence comes to Indianapolis for a three-game BIG EAST series. The Bulldogs (27-14, 12-5 BIG EAST) currently sit in third in the conference standings, while the Friars (23-17, 9-9) are in fifth. With only six conference games remaining, both teams are battling for one of four spots in the BIG EAST tournament. DePaul is currently in the fourth position, while UConn and Villanova are at the top.

Bulldog Bits                                                        
           (as of 4-25-22)

• Karli Ricketts leads the BIG EAST (32nd nationally) in hits allowed/7 innings (4.41) and is second with a 2.30 ERA. She also comes in at number two (55th) in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.00) and is third (87th) in walks allowed/7 innings (1.58). Her 120 strikeouts rank fourth in the conference and she landed sixth in strikeouts/7 innings (7.9).
• Alyssa Graves leads the BIG EAST (92nd nationally) with a 2.08 ERA. She is second (53rd) in strikeouts per seven innings (8.8) and also comes in at number two (55th) in hits allowed per 7 innings (4.77). Her 115 strikeouts land sixth in the conference.
• Lauren Fey ranks first in the BIG EAST (33rd nationally) as toughest to strikeout, averaging 20.0 at bats per strikeout. Her seventeen stolen bases rank fifth (81st) in total and in stolen bases/game (0.44).
• Ella White's four sacrifice flies lead the BIG EAST and put her 19th nationally.
• Ellie Boyer leads the BIG EAST and is 52nd nationally with 0.18 sacrifice bunts per game.
• Monique Hoosen is fourth in the BIG EAST with nine home runs and eleventh in slugging percentage (0.615).
• Bri Avery ranks sixth in the BIG EAST (98th) with sixteen stolen bases.
   
• The Bulldogs now have 12 wins in the BIG EAST for the season. This represents the most BIG EAST Conference wins for any Butler team, surpassing the 2017 squad that went 11-9 in the conference. (In 2011, the Bulldogs won 14 games in the Horizon League.)
• Alyssa Graves' shutout on Sunday was her second of the season and the ninth of her career. She is now in sole possession of the fourth spot all-time at Butler. The complete game was her sixth of the season and the 36th of her career. She is now tied for seventh on Butler's all-time career list (Kena Woods, '95-'98 and Nikki Naffziger, '05-'08). She has now pitched 519.0 innings in a Butler uniform and has cracked the top five on Butler's all-time list for career innings pitched.
• Tuesday's win for Karli Ricketts was her 13th of the season and lands her in the tenth position on Butler's all-time list for wins in one season.

 
SCOUTING PROVIDENCE
Series Record: Providence leads, 12-9-1
Last Meeting: April 24-25, 2021 - Providence, R.I. - Gm1: Providence 7, Butler 2;  Gm2: Butler 9, Providence 2;  Gm3: Butler 4, Providence 4 (9 in.)

• The teams split the 2021 series, with each team winning one and the rubber match ending in a tie. Providence swept the 2019 series, and Butler took 2-of-3 in the 2018 series.

Providence's previous series: The Friars were swept by Villanova.

• The Friars are 23-17 overall. They have series wins against Seton Hall, St. John's, and Georgetown.
• Providence leads its opponents in runs (163-159) and RBIs (149-141) and trails in hits (248-267) and stolen bases (25-48).
• Batting leaders for the Friars include Jacque Harrington (.344), Rachael Petrarca (.289), and Kari Shedrick (.264).
• Providence most often relies on pitchers Tori Grifone (10-8, 110.2 IP, 2.78 ERA, 146 K), Daniela Alverez (8-5, 94.1 IP, 3.49 ERA, 80 K), and Jessica Walter (4-4, 55.2 IP, 3.90 ERA, 53 K).