Senior Joe Pauley and junior Colin Ziegel put together two of the best offensive performances of the season for the Bulldogs, but unfortunately it only resulted in one win against host Valparaiso on April 25 and 26.

Butler (9-28, 5-14) was victorious on April 25 in its first game of the three-game series, winning 12-10. Ziegel finished 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI and two runs scored, while Pauley was 2-for-4 including a home run, two RBI and three runs scored on the day.

Sophomore Kyle Schultz knocked out his first home run of the season in the first inning, a three-run shot, to put the Bulldogs up right away. They then added another in the second on an RBI single by junior Rick Betsch that scored Kyle McLaughlin who had tripled.

But the Crusaders battled back and had evened up the score by the third inning. Ziegel ended that quickly in the fourth with his fourth home run of the season to put Butler back on top, and the team picked up another run later in the inning. Valpo again fought right back in its half of the inning and this time took its first lead of the game at 7-6.

The Bulldogs again turned to Ziegel in the fifth, who connected for his second home run of the game, which put them up 9-7. Pauley notched his team-high seventh home run of the season in the sixth to push the advantage to four.

Valpo picked up two more in its half of the inning and one more in the eighth, but came up short in the rally attempt. Sophomore Jamie Feldheiser (2-2) picked up the win and senior Brian Deter (1) recorded his first save of the year. Betsch added three hits for the Bulldogs and junior Alex Montagano had two hits and two runs scored.

The following day, Butler would erupt for even more hits and runs, but the day belonged to the Crusaders, who won the first game 16-15 in 10 innings and took the second as well, 7-5.

The Bulldogs had managed a 13-1 lead through five innings, but Valpo proved no lead is ever safe en route to a major comeback.

Pauley was at it again, launching a solo home run in the first to put the team up 1-0. The offense continued in the second with an RBI single by McLaughlin, before freshman Michael Letzter’s first career home run, a three-run shot, put the Bulldogs up 5-0. Fellow freshman Grant Fillipitch opened up the third inning with his second career home run. Pauley picked up his second home run of the game in the fourth that put the advantage at 9-0.

By the end of the fifth the lead was at 13-0 behind another three-run homer from Pauley, his third of the game. But that was when the Crusader rally would begin. Chipping away little by little, Valpo ate away at the lead, with runs in all of the remaining innings, including seven in the ninth to finally tie the game at 15 and send it into extra innings. A sacrifice fly in the 10th gave them the come from behind win.

Pauley’s offensive performance in the game ensured him a place in Butler history, as he became just the second player to hit three home runs in a game and the first player since 1983.

Although the offense continued in the series finale, it again wouldn’t be enough to overcome the Crusaders.

Ziegel tied the score at one with a homer to start off the second. Valpo took a 3-1 lead in the third, before the Bulldogs took over with three in the fourth behind an RBI double by Ziegel, senior Ryan Neat’s RBI single to score him, and Letzter’s RBI grounder.

Valpo went up 7-4 after five and was able to hold on despite a late rally attempt by the Bulldogs, who were only able to produce one more run in the game.