INDIANAPOLIS - Butler defeated the University of Illinois 10-8 on Wednesday afternoon in Champaign, Ill. The Dawgs scored 8 of their 10 runs in the first three innings, led by Will Burgess, who drove in three. With the win, Butler improves to 2-2 on the season while the Fighting Illini fall to 1-3 to open the season.
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BULLDOG HIGHLIGHTS

• Brock Buckley earned his first save of the season on the mound, closing out the ninth frame for BU.
• Max Winders earned his first win of the season, throwing 5.1 innings in relief and giving up one earned run. The sophomore struck out six while allowing just five base runners.
• Will Burgess hit his first home run of the season, in addition to a two-out single in the first that plated two for the Bulldogs.
• Gavin Gilmore continued his hot start to the season with a two-run single. He also walked twice and scored a run.
• Danny Gavin went 2-4 at the plate and scored two runs.
• Alex Christie tallied an RBI Single and scored a run.
• Logan Crock was 1-for-4 with an RBI double.
• Charlie Schebler hit his first double of the season and scored a run.
• Gunnar Duncan notches his first multi-hit game of the season, going 2-4 at the plate. He also drew a walk and scored two runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• A two-out RBI single from Christie put the Dawgs on the board first against the Illini. In the ensuing at bat, Schebler hit his second double of the season, scoring Gavin. The Bulldog offense wasn't done yet, as a Burgess single brought home Christie before Illinois was able to get the third out of the inning. BU held an early 3-0 lead over the home side. Illinois responded with an explosive first inning of its own, scoring five runs on five hits as the Illini took the 5-3 advantage into the second.
• Gilmore hit a bases-loaded single in the top of the second that scored two runs for BU as the Dawgs were able to even the score at 5-5 heading into the bottom half of the frame. A 1-2-3 inning for the Bulldogs saw the score remain even at the end of the second.
• Burgess got the third started with a leadoff solo shot as BU retook the lead at 6-5. BU was able to scratch across two more runs in the top of the third with the help of a wild pitch. Matthew Rhoades picked up an RBI with a sac fly in the inning as the two sides headed to the bottom of the third with Butler ahead 8-5.
• The fourth frame was scoreless for both sides. Butler opened the fifth with a single from Duncan before David Ayers was hit by a pitch. Both runners were able to advance on a passed ball, as BU had runners on second and third with one out. Shortly after, Butler brought a run home by way of a balk as BU took the 9-5 lead into the bottom of the fifth. BU retired the Illini side in order taking the 9-5 advantage into the sixth.
• Gilmore started the sixth with a walk and was aggressive on the base path, stealing second. After advancing on a groundout, Gilmore scored the lone run of the inning for BU on a passed ball from the home side. The BU lead stood at five heading into the bottom half of the frame. Illinois was unable to generate much offense in the inning, recording just one hit as the Butler lead stood heading into the seventh.
• After a short top of the seventh, Illinois was able to get back on the board, scratching across two runs on two hits as the Butler lead shrank to three (10-7).
• Illinois once again made a push in the bottom of the eighth, scoring another run on two hits in the frame. Butler took the 10-8 advantage into the ninth.
• Butler was able to hold off the Illini's comeback efforts in the ninth as Buckley closed the door on the mound, helping BU secure the 10-8 victory.

 
OF NOTE

• This is Butler's first win over a BIG 10 opponent since 2024 when BU took down Indiana 6-2, at Bulldog Park.
• Butler recorded 11 hits in the contest.
• The BU pitching staff recorded 12 strikeouts in the contest, marking a new season-high for the squad.
• BU has now recorded a home run in four-consecutive games.

 
UP NEXT
Butler will return to action tomorrow as the Bulldogs host Eastern Illinois at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. The game will be played on field D4 with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.