BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Entering the ninth inning in a 2-2 tie, Dayton scored three runs in the final inning to defeat Gardner-Webb on Friday night at John Henry Moss Stadium.
Left-handed starting pitcher Cameron Hobson (1-0) had another solid outing for the Flyers – holding the Runnin’ Bulldogs scoreless for five consecutive innings to start the game and finishing with five strikeouts and one earned run through eight innings.
Dayton (2-3) jumped to an early lead as junior Zach Stewart issued his first RBI as a Flyer to give UD a 2-0 advantage in the first inning. With the bases loaded Stewart singled to right-centerfield to drive in senior Jonathan Castine and sophomore Ian Hundley.
Dayton would not cross the plate again until the ninth inning when Hundley drove in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice RBI to centerfield. The ninth started as senior Jimmy Roesinger reached base on a fielding error by the shortstop. After junior Mike Coughlin drew a walk, freshman Mel Skochdopole used a sacrifice bunt to advance the Flyer runners to second and third base. That set up Hundley’s sacrifice fly to centerfield, allowing Roesinger to tag-up and score to put UD up 3-2.
Junior Bobby Glover added two more runs in the ninth inning on a 2-RBI double to give UD a three-run cushion going into the bottom of the ninth.
Junior Burny Mitchem held off a two-out Gardner-Webb rally in the ninth to earn his first save of the season. The Runnin’ Bulldogs trimmed the lead to 5-3 before suffering their second loss in a row at home. It was just the second game played at John Henry Moss Stadium, which was completed in the fall of 2010.
Gardner-Webb (3-3) left fielder Scott Coleman led the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ offense with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate and two walks. Gardner-Webb out-hit the Flyers 9-6.
Dayton continues a stretch of three consecutive games against different opponents in a 1 p.m. ET first pitch at USC Upstate on Saturday.
