BIG EAST Series:             Villanova
DATE:                                  Thursday-Saturday, April 17-19
LOCATION:                        Indianapolis, Ind. / Butler SB Field
LIVE STATS:                      butlersports.com
LIVE VIDEO:                      FloSports (Thur./Fri.)
 
The Butler softball team is set to host Villanova for a key BIG EAST series this weekend. The Bulldogs (21-18, 10-8 BIG EAST) are currently tied for the fourth spot in the conference standings, while the Wildcats (22-18-1, 11-4 BIG EAST) are tied for second.
 
Rain is in the forecast for the weekend. The current schedule, subject to change, is to play game one on Thursday with games two and three on Friday.
 
The program also plans to recognize four student-athletes who will be graduating in May: Paige Dorsett, Ella White, Sydney Carter, and Kayla Noerr.
 
Bulldog Bits                                                                                        
       (through games 4/15/25)

• Cate Lehner leads the BIG EAST (11th nationally) with 29 stolen bases and is second (81st) in toughest to strike out. She is third in the conference with a .404 batting average and is also third (41st) with 57 hits.
• Rylyn Dyer is second in the BIG EAST (31st nationally) with 3 saves.
• Ella White is third in the BIG EAST (33rd nationally) with 0.77 walks per game.
• Gwen Baker is fourth in the BIG EAST with 10 wins.
• Makena Alexander is seventh in the BIG EAST with 9 home runs.
   
• With 137 career RBI, Ella White is three away from tying Butler's program record and four away from breaking the record (140 - Erin Falkenberry '09-'12).

        vs. Creighton

• Cate Lehner went 7-for-11 (.636) at the plate.
• Sydney Carter hit her third home run of the season and of her career.
   
• BIG EAST coaches ranked Butler sixth in the 2025 Preseason Poll. The Villanova Wildcats were voted preseason favorites behind six first place votes and a league-best 61 points. UConn followed with 57 points, appearing first on two ballots. St. John's (46) ranked third, and Creighton (43), who garnered the final first-place vote, ranked fourth. Seton Hall (39) landed in the fifth spot and was followed by Butler (28).
   
• Butler's 2025 schedule includes five teams that qualified for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have already seen UAlbany (W, 8-2 & W, 3-1), Indiana (L, 13-0), Dayton (L, 8-0), and Miami (OH) (L, 10-3) and are still scheduled for Villanova (Apr. 17-19).
   

SCOUTING VILLANOVA (22-18-1, 11-4 BIG EAST)
Series- Villanova leads, 13-12

• 2024 (Villanova): Butler 7-3 / Villanova 7-5 / Butler 2-1
  2023 (Indianapolis): Villanova 5-3 / Butler 2-0 / Villanova 7-2
  2022 (BIG EAST): Villanova 2-0
  2022 (Villanova): Butler 3-1 / Butler 6-0
  2021 (BIG EAST): Villanova 14-5
• Butler and Villanova are 5-5 over the past ten games.

2025 BIG EAST series results:
     UConn (W-L-L), Creighton (W-W-W), Georgetown (W-W-W), Seton Hall (L-W-L), DePaul (W-W-W)

• Additional wins for the Wildcats this season include: No. 25 Florida Atlantic, Minnesota, Utah State, and Army
• Villanova split with: No. 15 Virginia Tech and Boston College
• Additional losses: No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 19 Baylor, Penn State, Clemson, Louisville, Purdue, Radford, Elon, Marshall

Villanova vs. (opponents)                Butler
runs:       221-197                                     199
hits:         290-332                                    307
RBI:         204-185                                     175
SB:           27-35                                          70
ERA:       4.44-4.74                                  4.53
 
 Batting Leaders:

• #10 Ava Franz (.364) 47H, 3-3B, 10HR, 37RBI
• #25 Maranda Runco (.345) 12HR, 34RBI
• #14 Brooklyn Ostrowski (.300) 9HR, 28RBI

 Pitching Leaders:

• #9 Kat Gallant (10-6) 3.87 ERA, 11CG, 81K
• #17 Lexi Kobryn (8-8) 3.93 ERA, 48K
• #11 Kelsey White (3-2) 4.57 ERA, 23K