Butler Against CSU: The Bulldogs split the season series with the Vikings in 2007, with Butler claiming two-of-three in Indianapolis (March 30-31) and CSU taking two-of-three in Cleveland (April 13-14). Pitching has been key in the match-ups, as the Bulldogs boast a 2.73 ERA against the Vikings this year, while CSU has allowed just 3.21 earned runs per nine innings versus Butler.

Sophomore southpaw Matt Sokolowski turned in a dominant 7.0 innings of work for his first-career win, and the Bulldog offense provided enough support as Butler claimed a 4-1 decision over Xavier. Sokolowski handcuffed the Musketeers on just four hits, with only two leaving the infield, while the bats rapped out 11 hits, including a solo homer by short-stop Joe Pauley.

The Bulldog bats came out swinging in their first outing at Bulldog Park in nearly a month, as Butler rallied for an 8-7 win over UW-Milwaukee in the first game of a double-header before pounding the Panthers in the night-cap to the tune of an 11-4 victory. The Bulldogs collected 17 hits, including Joe Pauley's game-winning RBI single in the ninth, to claim the opener. In the finale, right-hander Jon Dages held the Panthers to just two earned runs in 7.0 innings, while the bats put the game out of reach with a five-run sixth.

The Bulldogs were unable to muster enough offense in the regular season finale in a twin-bill on May 19, as the Panthers claimed a double-header sweep. UWM rallied for a 10-inning, 2-1 victory in the opener before scoring six runs in the final four frames for a 6-2 decision in the night-cap.

Five Is Fine: You don't have to look too far back to realize that being the No. 5 seed in the Horizon League Championship might not be so bad for the Bulldogs. Last year, Butler entered the tournament in the fifth spot and proceeded to advance to the championship game, topping Youngstown State in the first round before ousting top-seeded UIC twice to chase the Flames from the tournament.

Familiar To Farley: Butler head coach Steve Farley is no stranger to the Horizon League Championship. The 16th-year Bulldog mentor boasts 23 wins in the conference tournament, more than any other active league coach. He also guided the Bulldogs to a pair of league tournament titles, coming in 1998 and 2000, and has had Butler in the championship game in five seasons.

Dempsey Likes The Vikes: Senior catcher Joe Dempsey has been one of the Bulldogs top hitters in Horizon League play this season, batting .315 (34-for-108) in 30 games. The Butler co-captain has found much of his success against Cleveland State, however, as Dempsey leads the team against the Vikings with a .435 average (10-for-23) with a homer, two doubles, four walks, and four RBI. The only other league team that Dempsey has fared better against has been conference-leader UIC, against whom he holds a .440 average (11-for-25) and eight RBI against the Flames.

Deter Meter: The Butler pitching staff has received quite a boost from right-hander Brian Deter in the last month. The junior right-hander has pitched at least six innings in each of his last five starts while holding his opponent to two earned runs or fewer in four of them. His recent success includes one start against the Vikings, in which he allowed just two earned runs on three hits in 6.2 innings.

Bucalo And Pauley Have A Week: Butler outfielder Dustin Bucalo and shortstop Joe Pauley have had the hottest bats for the Bulldogs in the last week. The tandem already began last week as the team's top two hitters, with Bucalo batting .320 and Pauley batting .303, before boosting their averages significantly by week's end. Bucalo raised his mark by 25 points to a team-best .345 thanks to an 11-for-21 (.524) performance last week, while Pauley went 12-for-24 (.500) at the plate to improve his average by 24 points to .327.

Arms Race: Butler boasts one of the top pitching staffs in the Horizon League this year, with the Bulldogs recording a 4.57 ERA for the second-best mark in the conference. The staff has been even more effective in league play, combining for a 4.47 ERA in 30 league battles. Junior Jon Dages leads the team with four wins and 63 innings in conference play and a 3.29 ERA, while junior Bryan Bokowy boasts a 3.99 ERA in 47.1 frames. Junior Brian Deter has also been strong in 38.1 innings, recording a 4.46 ERA. Sophomore Ryan Kruszka finished the year with a 2.92 ERA for the best league mark on the squad but had his season end early due to injury.

What A Difference Six Makes: The Bulldog pitching staff has been one of the best in the league this year, touting a team ERA of 4.57 for the second-best mark in the conference. That bodes well for Butler, as the Bulldogs are 18-9 on the year when holding its opponent to five runs or less. It's the sixth run that tends to cause problems, as Butler is only 4-22 when an opponent breaches the six-run mark.