April 27, 2008

Box Score

DAYTON, Ohio - Dayton won the deciding game of its Atlantic 10 Conference baseball series with visiting Richmond, 11-4 on Sunday at Time Warner Cable Stadium. The win lifts UD (26-17, 9-9 A-10) into a tie for the sixth and final spot in the A-10 Postseason Tournament, which begins on May 21.

The Flyers pounded out 13 hits including a pair of home runs to win their third consecutive conference series. Every position player in the Dayton lineup had either a base hit or a run scored in the game as UD led from start to finish on the strength of a five-run first inning rally.

Jake Hoover was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored and three RBI while Marshall MacDonald also doubled and drove in two runs while scoring two more in a 3-for-5 effort that paced the Dayton offense.

Ryan Nevill hit his second homer of the season to finish 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a pair of RBI. Shawn Gizynski, who made just his second start of the season, blasted his first home run and walked as part of a 1-for-3 performance.

Cole Tyrell singled, walked and was hit by a pitch while scoring two runs for a Dayton squad that has now won 10 of its last 12 games.

Senior Alex Dye was comfortable throughout the day with a lead and improved to 4-1 after striking out three and allowing just three earned runs on six hits and two walks in 6.0 innings pitched.

Chris Beesley earned his second save of the season after throwing 3.0 innings of scoreless relief. He struck out one and surrendered just two base hits.

Dayton took advantage of Richmond freshman starter Billy Falasco who was making his first career start early as the first two batters reached base after being hit by a pitch. Marshall MacDonald then laced a single to centerfield to plate Kevin Miller from second base. Cole Tyrell also advanced to third on the play and scored on another RBI single to center by Myles Swartzel. The ball was misplayed by the centerfielder and MacDonald moved up to third on the error. Jake Hoover followed with a RBI single through the right side of the infield that allowed MacDonald to score from third and pushed Swartzel to second base. After UR went to its bullpen, Ryan Nevill laid down a bunt and the pitcher could not make a play as UD loaded the bases with no outs. After one out, Shawn Gizynski drew a bases loaded walk and Jacob Spaeth reached base via catcher's interference to give the Flyers a 5-0 lead.

Richmond pulled two within two on a two-RBI single in the third and another RBI base hit in the fourth, but Dayton responded with another rally in the bottom of the fourth inning. Shawn Gizynski ledoff by hitting the first pitch he saw for a home run over the right field wall. Jacob Spaeth then walked and moved up to second on a ground out. Cole Tyrell followed with a single to right centerfield that allowed Spaeth to move to third. Marshall MacDonald hit a looper into left centerfield that drove in Spaeth and allowed a hustling Tyrell to go from first to third. After another out, Jake Hoover ripped a two-RBI double down the left field line that put UD on top 9-3.

The Spiders got one more run back in the fifth, but a one-out two-run blast off the scoreboard in left field by Ryan Nevill in the seventh inning shutdown any hopes of a comeback by Richmond as Dayton cruised to an 11-4 victory.

UD will return to action with a non-conference game at Wright State on Wednesday. The Flyers will make the short trip to Fairborn for a 6:30 p.m. ET start that can be followed with Gametracker at www.DaytonFlyers.com.