LIVE STATS
 
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler will host Northwestern at Bulldog Park this weekend. The three-game series shifted to a pair of games due to inclement weather in Indianapolis. The first home games of the 2023 campaign for the Bulldogs will now be played on Sunday and Monday. Action will start at 2 PM on Sunday and Monday's tilt will feature a 1 PM first pitch.
 
Schedule
Sunday, March 19 – 2 PM
Monday, March 20 – 1 PM
 
Projected Starters
LHP Cory Bosecker vs. RHP Michael Farinelli
RHP Alex Voss vs. RHP Matt McClure
 
Scouting Northwestern
The Wildcats are 0-12 at the start of the season. First-year head coach Jim Foster continues to make changes to his coaching staff early in 2023. Foster hired former MLB relief pitcher Dennis Cook in March to help the program. Northwestern heads into the weekend with a 12.62 team ERA. Matt McClure and Michael Farinelli are each 0-3 this year with ERA's over 10. Grant Comstock and Luke Benneche also have multiple starts on the mound for the Wildcats.
 
At the plate, Northwestern hits .245 as a team. Kevin Ferrer leads the club with 13 hits and Stephen Hrustich is the team leader in runs scored with 10. BU should keep an eye on Griffin Arnone and his team-best three home runs. Alex Calarco and Vincent Bianchina are also staples to the lineup. Calarco leads the club with a .273 average and Bianchina has four doubles on the year.
 
Northwestern opened the season with three games at Texas State. They gave up 12, 20 and 24 runs in San Marcos. Single games on the schedule against Gardner-Webb, Presbyterian and USC Upstate followed to end the month of February. Louisiana Tech and Saint Louis swept the Wildcats recently. Their last midweek loss came at UIC.
 
Home Openers
The Bulldogs have won three-straight home openers. They defeated Manchester 5-2 on March 2, 2022, DePauw 16-4 on March 9, 2021 and Western Illinois 3-2 on Feb. 22, 2020.

Butler vs. the Big Ten
The Bulldogs have recorded eight wins against Big Ten teams over the last decade. Two of those eight wins came against Northwestern. Butler split a pair of games against the Wildcats last year, losing 13-3 in game one but taking game two 11-10. They also defeated Northwestern 10-9 in 10 innings during the 2016 campaign.
 
Since 2013, Butler has faced Indiana 11 times, Purdue 10 times, Northwestern three times, and Michigan State, Rutgers and Illinois once. Five of the eight wins have been recorded against Purdue. BU swept the Boilers in 2015 winning two games in West Lafayette and winning game three in Indy.
 
Unique Series
Butler has not hosted a three-game series against a Big Ten opponent in over 40 years! They hosted a pair of games against Indiana in both 1988 and 1986.
 
BIG EAST Rankings
Butler leads the BIG EAST in base on balls (75), double plays (13), and triples (7). Billy Wurch is tied for the conference lead in sac bunts (3) and Cory Bosecker is second in strikeouts with 27.
 
Streaks
The longest hitting streak of the season belongs to Joey Urban (7), but the longest current streak is a tie between Carter Dorighi and Dominic Milano (2). Milano, Garret Gray and Scott Jones have all reached base safely in four-straight games.
 
Up Next
Butler will play a midweek game at Ball State next Wednesday at 3 PM. Head Coach Blake Beemer played at Ball State from 2010-13. He was a three-time team captain that guided BSU to 31 wins during his senior season.