April 23, 2008

Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS - A three-RBI effort by Kevin Miller in his hometown of Indianapolis led Dayton past Butler, 6-2 in the opener of a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday.

Miller finished 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored while driving in three runs to pace a Flyer offense that out hit the Bulldogs, 10-6.

Scott Dunwoody and Cole Tyrell each added multi-hit performances in support of a stellar pitching effort from the duo of Jake Hoover and Burny Mitchem. Dunwoody was 2-for-4 with two RBI while Tyrell went 2-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt and a run scored.

Hoover started the day on the mound and allowed just two runs on five hits over 5.1 innings pitched. He improved to 2-0 on the year after recording six strikeouts while giving up just one walk and retiring the side in order three times. Hoover also went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double, walk and a run scored.

Mitchem earned his third save of the season after forcing Butler into a pair of double plays in the sixth and seventh innings. He walked two and gave up only one hit before striking out the final batter of the game in 1.1 innings pitched.

After both starting pitchers took control of the game early, UD finally got on the board when BU went to its bullpen to start the fifth inning. Jake Hoover began with a double down the right field line, but was picked off shortly after at second base. Then after a ground out, Cole Tyrell fisted a single to centerfield and Jimmy Roesinger followed with a high-bouncing infield single up the middle to put a pair of runners on with two outs. Jacob Spaeth followed with a five-pitch walk to load the bases for Kevin Miller who blooped a double just over the head of the third baseman to begin the scoring. Scott Dunwoody followed with a hard hit single up the middle to drive in two more runs as UD took a 4-0 lead midway through the fifth inning.

The Flyers added another run in the sixth inning beginning with a leadoff walk by Jake Hoover. Ryan Nevill worked the second consecutive 3-2 count of the frame before being hit by a pitch to put two runners on with no outs. The duo moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Cole Tyrell before Max Navalinski lifted a sacrifice fly to left field. After Jacob Spaeth was hit by a pitch to put another runner on base, Kevin Miller looped a RBI single over the head of the shortstop to send home Nevill from second base for a 6-0 Dayton lead.

Butler finally got some offense going in the sixth inning with a pair of RBI singles to pull within four, but Burny Mitchem came out of the bullpen to get the Bulldogs to hit into a double play and end the threat with UD ahead 6-2.

Mitchem also forced Butler into another double play in the seventh inning before walking a pair of batters to pitch his way into a jam. However, he struck out the final batter of the game to preserve a 6-2 Dayton victory.