Russell Clark spends most of his day in a crouch.

He has to. There are no alternatives these days for the Butler BlueSox or their veteran catcher.

Clark, who is suiting up for the Butler Prospect League baseball team for his third season this summer, is the only catcher on the roster.

He’s it. No one else.

He catches nine innings — or 10 as the case was on Wednesday night against West Virginia. He catches bullpen sessions.

And he’s savoring every minute of it.

“I got injured during school ball,” said Clark, a Pine-Richland graduate who is a junior at the University of Cincinnati. “I missed the last half of the season, so I’m fresh and ready to go. Coming to Butler, we joked about it because this is the third year in a row I’m the only healthy catcher here (at the beginning of a season), so I’m used to the grind.”

Clark pulled his oblique for the Bearcats and received a medical redshirt this spring.

He only played in four games and got just two at-bats.

For the BlueSox, Clark is batting .125 early this season with three RBI in seven games. Last year, Clark hit .216 with 10 RBI for Butler.

His role, though, is defense and leadership behind the plate.

“It is a lot of pressure on him and it’s tiring, especially as a catcher catching every day,” said Butler manager Jason Radwan. “He catches bullpens because we don’t even have any bullpen catchers. He wants to catch. He really wouldn’t want it any other way and when we do get the other guys, he’ll be wanting to get back in there.”

Butler expects to get its two other catchers, Nick Rabat of Virginia Commonwealth University, and Chucky Vasquez of Lipscomb University, soon.

Rabat and VCU are in the NCAA Super Regional

“We’re hoping to get (Vasquez) by Monday and get him in next week,” Radwan said. “He’s having some financial aid trouble back at school.”

So, for now, Clark is it — bruises and all.

Clark took a foul ball off the throat Wednesday against West Virginia, but shook it off.

“I went in the back to make sure everything was in place,” Clark said, laughing. “It’s just a bruise.”

He was also involved in a collision at the plate, but came away unscathed.

Clark said he doesn’t worry about getting injured with no back-up behind him.

He has, however, changed the way he prepares for a game.

“I go a little lighter (in the weight room),” Clark said. “I do a lot of stretching. And I make sure I get enough sleep. That’s probably the biggest thing: making sure I get enough sleep in.”

Should something befall Clark, Mitchell Machi is the emergence catcher. The University of Buffalo outfielder hasn’t strapped on the shinguards since high school, however.

And with only nine position players available, should any of the starters get hurt, Radwan and the BlueSox will have to seriously improvise.

“It’ll be tough if anyone has to miss a game right now,” Radwan said.

“It’s easy to fill out a lineup,” Radwan added, smirking, “but it makes it hard to make moves. But the guys here have done a great job.”