The Butler BlueSox begin their ninth season in the Prospect League when they host the Champion City Kings in the 2017 season opener at 6:35 p.m. today at Kelly Automotive Park.

Butler graduate and former BlueSox player Cody Herald will be making his managerial debut.

“No, not really,” Herald said when asked about feeling any butterflies as his debut approached. “I’ve been around this for a long time now.”

Herald said Butler graduate Mark Gross, who compiled a 2.93 earned run average this season at Case Western Reserve, will likely start the season opener on the mound.

Gross said earlier he was looking forward to the challenge of facing hitters from bigger schools.

“Honestly, these days, there’s not that much difference between the talent level at a Division III, II or I school,” Herald said. “If a Division III kid threw two miles per hour faster, he’d be Division II.

“If a Division II kid threw two miles per hour faster, he’d be Division I. It’s a very fine line. How guys have performed in this (Prospect) league has shown that.”

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