The Butler BlueSox defeated the Champion City Kings 8-3 in their home opener. The BlueSox managed just one hit while the Kings scored five runs in the sixth inning. BlueSox manager Jason Radwan was not worried, attributing the lack of hits to players adjusting to wood bats from metal bats. In their next game, the BlueSox bounced back from a two-game losing streak by defeating the West Virginia Miners 6-5. Russell Clark hit a go-ahead single in the bottom of the eighth inning, while catcher Clark threw out three potential base stealers. The BlueSox then lost to the Jamestown Jammers 3-1, with Jammers

1. Sleepy Sox Bats Lead To Loss
May 28, 2015 ♦ by Brian Hepfinger
In theirhome opener,the ButlerBlueSox (0-2) managedjustone hit,whichresultedinalossto the
ChampionCityKings(2-0).ChampionCitydefeatedButler8-3,ina game that featureda five-runsixth
inningforthe Kings.
ButlermanagerJasonRadwanfeltthat the game wasn't anythingtoworryabout,consideringit'sonly
the secondgame of the season.
"Guys are still gettingadjustedtothe league andwoodenbats,"Radwansaid."It'shardcomingfroma
metal bat andthengoingright to a wood.We have to playbetter;obviouslyone hitisn'tgoingtohelpus
wingames."
Withthe game tiedat 2-2 and the basesloadedforthe BlueSox inthe fifthinning,ChampionCitypitcher
DavidLemasters(1-0) came inand got outof the jam witha strikeout.Lemastersearnedthe winby
strikingouttwoButlerbattersand allowingone run.
The Kings'offense gotrollingafterthe Lemastersstrikeout,scoringfive runsinthe sixthinning.The
entire Kingslineupgotanat-bat.The fifthinningalsofeaturedthree BlueSoxpitchers,aseachone
attemptedtogetout of the jam.
The BlueSox gotthe scoringgoingin the secondinning,whencatcherRussell ClarkhitaRBI groundout,
whichallowedrightfielderMichael Patricktoscore.Clarkhad anotherRBIgroundoutinthe sixthinning,
whichscoredleftfielderAlex Miklos.
The third inningrunwasdue to a wildpitchfromChampionCitypitcherEricAshbrook,whichallowed
ButlercenterfielderTyWhite toscore.
Butlerdidhave plentyof base runners,drawingeightwalksandgettinghitbytwopitches,butstranded
five meninscoringpositions.
"I likedhowwe manufacturedrunsandhow we stole bases,"Radwansaid."We justhave toget some
clutchhits."
ChampionCitywasblankedforthe firstthree innings,butthenscoredtworunsinthe fourth.Second
basemanEric Petersonbeganthe inningwithadouble,followedbycenterfielderRidge Winand'striple,
whichscoredPeterson.LeftfielderLee Sponsellerthenhitasacrifice flyoutRBI,whichallowedWinand
to score and tie the game at 2-2.
"I thinkit'searlyinthe seasonandguysaren't relaxedyet,becausetheyaren'tfamiliarwiththe setting,"
Radwansaid."Theirpitchercame out, buthe was throwingwild.Iwouldjustlike tosee ourhitters
attack the ball more and adjuston those offspeedpitches."
JoshLapiana (0-1) was taggedwiththe lossafterpitching5.1 innings,allowingfive hitsandtworunsand
strikingoutfive ChampionCitybatters.

2. The BlueSox will completetheirtwo-game seriesagainstChampionCityFridayathome forthe Butler
HealthSystems FireworksNight.Firstpitchisscheduledfor7:05 p.m.

3. Sox Outlast Miners
June 9, 2015 ♦ by Brian Hepfinger
Aftera two-game losingstreak,the ButlerBlueSox(6-6) bouncedbackbydefeatingthe WestVirginia
Miners(7-5) Tuesdaytomove to stay within 2.5gamesof firstplace inthe East Division.
The BlueSox hadtenhitsto defeatthe Miners6-5.
Russell Clarkhitaseeing-eye single upthe middle inthe bottomof the eighththatdrove inTylerSullivan
for whatprovedto be the game-winningrun.
Clark'sdefense behindthe plate wasalsoahuge part of whyButlerwon.He threw out three would-be
Miners'base stealers.One of those runnerswasReyLopez,whoClarkgunneddowninthe ninthwhen
he representedthe tying-run.
BlueSox rightfielderTyWhite came up withthree of the biggestplaysof the game.He caughtthree fly
ballsthatwere extremelyclose tobeingeitherhome runsorextra-base hits.White'sthree catches
preventedWestVirginiafromcapitalizingonanyscoringchancesthat would've give themthe lead.
The BlueSox didtheirworkinthe firstfourinnings,scoringfive runs.WestVirginia'srunswere more
spreadout,withtwo cominginthe firstand secondinningandthree cominginthe fifthandsixth.
BlueSox starterAndre Jonesallowed six hitsandfive runsin5.2 innings.Kyle Ragopitched1.1innings,
allowingnorunsor hitsand strikingouttwoMiners.Eli Martin earnedhisfirstwinof the season,striking
out one Minerinone inning.ZachSpanglerconvertedonhisfifthstraight save opportunity.
WestVirginiapitcherMasashi Sakamotowastagged withhisfirstlossof the season,while allowing
three hitsandone run,and strikingouttwo.AustinSimmsgotthe start forthe Miners,givingupseven
hitsand five runsin5.1 innings.
In theirBlueSox debuts,AllanHookerandDannyHrbekbothhad strongstarts. Hookerwent1-2 with
one run scoredand one RBI, while Hrbekwent1-3withtworuns scored.
DavidMarcus and Alex Miklosbothwent2-for-4withanRBI,while TylerSullivanwent2-for-4witharun
and an RBI.
The BlueSox will completetheirtwo-game homestandagainstWestVirginiaWednesdayat6:35pm.
MLB Draft: RyanUhl, of IUP andthe 2014 BlueSox,wasselectedbythe Seattle Marinersinthe seventh
round.We'll have furtherdraftdetailsonTwitterandthe secondepisode of Sox Talk,the BlueSox
Podcastlaterthisweek.

4. Jammers Squash Sox
July 4, 2015 ♦ by Brian Hepfinger
JamestownJammers(2-2) pitcherMattShannonalmostpulledoff the firstcomplete game of the
summeragainstthe ButlerBlueSox (3-2) Saturdaynightwhenthe twoteamssquaredoff infrontof the
fourthlargestcrowdin BlueSox history.
Shannonwasable to strike outeightandforce 15 groundouts,whileallowingfourhitsandone run in
8.1 inningstosecure hisfirstwin.
The Jammersdidn'twaste any time,takinga2-0 leadinthe firstinningoff of three hits.Dominique
Jacksonhita double inthe firstat-bat,andthe Eric Solbergfollowedhimupwithasingle.PaxtonDe La
Garza recordedhisProspectLeague-leading25thRBI to score Jackson,anda single fromAlex O'Donnell
allowedSolbergtoscore.
JoshLaPianawas taggedwiththe lossfor the BlueSox,givingupeighthitsandthree runs,while striking
out five inseveninnings.
DavidMarcus had twodoublestoextendhishittingstreakto11 games.Matt Hansenand Michael
Patrickeach singledforButler.
Butler'sonlyruncame inthe fourthinning,whenSolbergmis-threw agroundouttothe firstbaseman
AustinAlonge,whichallowedHansentoscore anunearnedrun.
Jamestown'soffense had10 hits,includingahome run fromNickVehlewaldinthe seventhinning,
whichgave the Jammersa 3-1 lead.Eightoutof the nine battersforthe Jammershad at leastone hit,
withAlonge andDe La Garza strikingtwice.
A crowdof 1428 attendedthe game,whichwasfollowedbythe Cityof ButlerFireworksshow.
The two teamswill conclude theirtwo-game seriesSundayeveningforthe Monroe Hotel Night.First
pitchis scheduledfor6:35 at the KAP.

5. Big Bats Propel Sox to Win
July 22, 2015 ♦ by Brian Hepfinger
The ButlerBlueSox (12-6) scoreditssecondhighestamountof runsthisseasonagainstthe Richmond
RiverRats(4-12) Wednesdaynightatthe KellyAutomotive Park.
The BlueSox secured13 hits,whichpushedthemtodefeatedRichmond9-5.
Michael Patrick,whohad one of hisbestdefensiveperformancesinthe outfieldthisseasonwithnine
catches,beganthe BlueSox'scoringonslaughtwithasolohome run.DavidMarcus thenhit an RBI single
to rightfield,whichallowedTylerSullivantoscore,givingButlera2-0 lead.
The BlueSox thirdruncame inthe followinginning,whenPatrickhitasacrifice fly,scoringAllanHooker.
Richmondbegantocomebackin the sixthinning,whenKennyHostranderscoredoff of a sacrifice flyby
NickMoore.An error bySullivanallowedJoba Ferrell toscore,puttingthe score at 3-2 BlueSox.
However,Butlerextendeditsleadto5-2 witha few errorsby Richmond,whichallowedRussellClarkand
Sullivantoscore.Butlerconcludeditsscoringeffortinthe sixthandseventhinningswithtworunsin
each.
Richmondnevergave up,scoringone runin the eighthandtwo inthe ninth.
TylerSlepski earnedthe winforthe BlueSox,pitchingeightinnings,while allowingsevenhits,threeruns
and strikingouttwo.
Joe Pourierwastaggedwiththe lossfor the RiverRats,givingup11 hitsand five runsinsix innings,while
strikingoutone.
The BlueSox nextgame isagainstRichmondThursdaynightat6:35 p.m.forthe ButlerYMCA Big
Brothers/BigSistersNight.

6. Sox Win.
August 4, 2015 ♦ by Brian Hepfinger
It was a fastand quietgame throughthe firstthree inningsof the ButlerBlueSox'matchupagainstthe
KokomoJackrabbitsTuesday,butbothteamsgottheiroffensesgoinginthe fourth.
The BlueSox (19-12) defeatedthe Jackrabbits(13-16) 5-3 in a game that featuredsolidpitchingand
explosive offense.
Kokomo,whichButlerdefeatedlastSaturdayinfrontof a recordcrowd at the KellyAutomotive Park,
tooka 2-0 leadin the topof the fourthinningwhenBlueSox'Jamie Switalski misplayedathrow from
catcher Russell ClarktoallowSheaMolitortoscore.CJ Price thenscoredoff of a BlueSox doubleplayat
firstand second.
BlueSox leftfielderMatt Hansenwalkedinthe bottomof the fourthand thenstole second,whichput
himin scoringposition.CameronBalegosteppeduptothe plate andnotchedan RBI single,which
allowedHansentoputthe score at 2-1.
The BlueSox tiedthe game at2-2 inthe fifthinning.Clarkstartedthingsoff bybeinghitbyapitch,which
ledto a single byDannyHrbek.AnRBI single byHansenallowedClarktoscore.
Butlercontinueditsscoringinthe sixthinning,givingthemselvesa4-2 lead.DavidMarcus walkedand
thenstole secondbase.A wildseriesof eventsunfoldedasSwitalskihitafairlyroutine grounderin
between firstandsecondbase.Three errorscausedMarcusto score andSwitalski tomove all the way
to third.ClarkbolsteredButler'sleadwithanRBIsingle,scoringSwitalski.
The BlueSox'final runcame inthe 8th inning,whenJaredGrove,whowasinsertedintothe lineupfor
Mitchell Machi in the sixthinning,hitanRBIsingle toscore Balegofromsecondbase.
BlueSox closerZachSpanglerearnedhis19thsave of the season,onlyaddingtohisalreadybroken
ProspectLeague savesrecord.Thingsgotdiceywith three menon,andKokomoendedupscoringone
run, butButlerwasable to close outthe game witha double play.
TylerSlepski (6-1) earnedthe winforthe BlueSox,pitchingeightinningswhiletworuns,fourhitsand
strikingoutsix.
EmilioCalderon(2-6) wastaggedwiththe lossforKokomo,allowingfive hitsandfourrunsin5.2
innings.
Despite the win,the Chillicothe Paints'victoryinTerre Haute bumpsthe BlueSox fromthe post-season.
Butler'sgame againstRichmondwill startWednesdayat6:35 p.m.forthe NexTierBankFan
AppreciationNightatthe KAP.