INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — The Butler Bulldogs, defying preseason projections and recent struggles, erupted for an 11-1 victory over the Toledo Rockets in a nonconference baseball game Tuesday evening at Bulldog Park.

The win, which improved Butler to 4-18, was fueled by a dominant pitching performance from starter Grayson Bradberry and a 12-hit offensive attack that broke open a close game with a five-run eighth inning. Toledo fell to 10-12.

The most important part of the game was the stark contrast in starting pitching. Bradberry, named the top star for Butler, delivered six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and striking out five. His outing provided crucial stability for a Bulldogs team that entered the game with one of the nation’s poorest records and had been projected by Interstat’s ELO system to have only a 33.5 percent chance of winning. Bradberry’s performance was a marked improvement over his recent outings, including a difficult start against Wichita State on March 12.

Conversely, Toledo starter Cole Giesige, despite a unique and effective five-inning no-hit effort, was saddled with the loss. Giesige struggled with command, issuing walks and hitting a batter, which led to three earned runs. He struck out seven but was lifted after five innings having thrown 104 pitches.

The game was a tight, error-aided affair through the first five innings. Toledo struck first in the opening frame when Cade Baker singled, advanced on a fielder’s choice, and scored on a pair of Butler errors. Butler answered in the bottom half without a hit, capitalizing on a Toledo error, a walk, a stolen base, and another error to tie the game 1-1.

Butler took the lead for good in the fourth. Easton Moore doubled and scored on Gavin Gilmore’s RBI single. Gilmore later scored on a single by Gunnar Duncan to make it 3-1. David Ayers extended the lead with a solo home run to right field in the fifth.

The Bulldogs broke the game open in the sixth, scoring three unearned runs off Toledo reliever John Hojnowski, aided by another Rockets error. Duncan delivered another RBI single, and Logan Crock added a sacrifice fly.

Toledo managed its only earned run in the seventh off reliever Jack Hagen when Preston Zumwalt doubled home Ryan Sudbrook, cutting the deficit to 6-2.

Butler put the game completely out of reach in the eighth, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring five runs on four hits, two walks, a hit batter, and two wild pitches. Duncan capped his four-RBI afternoon with a two-run single, while Ayers added an RBI single and later scored on a bases-loaded walk by Gilmore. A double steal also plated a run in the inning.

Duncan finished 3 for 4 with four RBIs for Butler. Ayers was 3 for 5 with a home run, two RBIs, three runs scored and three stolen bases. Sam Rufenacht provided a bright spot for Toledo’s bullpen, striking out all three batters he faced in 1 1/3 innings of relief.

Toledo managed only five hits total. Zumwalt had the lone RBI for the Rockets.

Butler next travels to Milwaukee for a three-game series starting Friday. Toledo continues its road trip at Michigan on Wednesday.