INDIANAPOLIS - Butler will open BIG EAST play on the road this week at Villanova. The three-game series between the two sides will take place Thursday, April 2, through Saturday, April 4. Butler is coming off a 3-1 week, picking up wins over Toledo and Milwaukee.
​
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
DATES: April 2-4
GAME TIMES: Thursday - 3PM, Friday - 2PM, Saturday - 1PM
LOCATION: Plymouth Meeting, Pa.
LIVE STATS: Butlersports.com​
​
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS

• Butler (8-20) is coming off a 2-1 series victory over Milwaukee. Butler secured a 6-2 win and an 8-7 win in game three as BU took its first series of the season against the Panthers.
• Gunnar Duncan was named the BIG EAST player of the week on Monday. The sophomore hit .600, including one home run and nine RBIs. Against Milwaukee on Sunday, Duncan went 3-for-4 with a career-high five RBIs.
• Brock Buckley is coming off his best outing of the season, throwing a seven-inning complete game in which he allowed just two runs on eight hits. His performance earned him a spot on the BIG EAST weekly honor roll.
• Grayson Bradberry earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after tossing 6.0 innings, allowing only four hits and no runs while fanning five en route to his second win of the season on the mound. The freshman also pitched an inning of relief against Milwaukee, allowing no hits and no runs while picking up a strikeout.
• Matthew Rhoades ranks second nationally in home runs (16), 12th nationally in total bases (86) and is 20th nationally in slugging percentage (.796). The junior leads the team in RBIs (29) and runs (28).
• David Ayers is putting together a strong season at the plate, slashing 305/.371/.619. He leads Butler with 10 steals and ranks second on the team with 27 RBIs.
• Max Winders leads Butler on the mound, in eight appearances (three starts), Winders has posted a 4.88 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. The sophomore leads Butler with 35 strikeouts and has issued only two walks.
• Logan Crock was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watchlist earlier this season. The award honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year. The top 100 shortstops in the country made the list, which featured Butler shortstop Crock. The sophomore has had a solid start to 2026, slashing .260/.397/.753 in 23 games for the Dawgs. Crock has 19 hits, four doubles, two homers and 14 RBIs to his credit.
• Butler returns 17 letterwinners from a year ago and welcomes 21 new faces to the squad for 2026.
• Butler welcomed Ty Neal to the coaching staff this offseason as the program's pitching coach. Neal was an assistant coach at Michigan in 2025, helping the Wolverines post a 33-23 overall record. They went 16-14 in the Big Ten standings and held a 4.92 team ERA. Neal has made stops at Michigan, Arizona State, Cincinnati, Indiana, Miami Ohio, and Southern Illinois. He brings nearly 20 years of coaching experience to the program and has assisted in the recruiting and development of over 50 MLB draft picks.
• Bradberry was named the BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year by D1Baseball and Perfect Game prior to the start of the season. Bradberry hails from Columbia City, Indiana and earned All-Conference honors (3x), Pre-Season All-State honors, team MVP (2x), NE8 Conference Player of the Year and was chosen as a two-time team captain.
• In 2025, Butler saw Jack Moroknek get drafted in the 11th round by the Washington Nationals. Moroknek led the team in hits (81), batting average (.372), total bases (153), RBIs (57), home runs (18), runs scored (57), slugging percentage (.702) and OPS (1.145) while posting one of the best individual seasons in Butler history. Moroknek was the first Bulldog drafted since Ryan Pepiot was taken in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft.
• Head Coach Blake Beemer enters his fourth season at the helm of the Bulldogs. Beemer helped coach back-to-back BIG EAST Freshman of the Year winners Joey Urban (2023) and Kade Lewis (2024) in his first two seasons with the Bulldogs. Beemer played a pivotal role in developing Jack Moroknek who earned All-BIG EAST second team honors a season ago before being selected by the Washington Nationals in the 2025 MLB Draft.

 
SCOUTING VILLANOVA

• Villanova (10-14) is coming off an 11-1 midweek setback against Lafayette.
• Brayden Leonard leads Villanova at the dish, slashing .318/.420/.820 on the season. Leonard leads the Wildcats with 28 hits, seven doubles, one triple and is second on the team in RBIs with 14.
• Jack Kelley leads Villanova on the mound with a 2-3 record and a 6.03 ERA. Kelley has tossed 31.1 innings and has allowed 21 earned runs while striking out 28.

 
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will return to action next week as the Dawgs host Southern Indiana on Tuesday, April 7 at Bulldog Park. First pitch between the two sides is scheduled for 3 p.m. More information will be made available on Butlersports.com.