CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dayton became the first team in the Atlantic 10 to sweep a three-game series at Charlotte’s Hayes Stadium with a 9-4 series-finale win over the 49ers on Sunday afternoon.
The Flyers improve to 15-18 and 6-3 in league play and now lead the all-time series with Charlotte 10-5, including a 4-5 mark at Hayes Stadium. Charlotte (14-18, 2-7 A-10) saw a 12-home conference series victory streak come to an end at the hands of UD this weekend.
Junior right-handed pitcher Parker Schrage (2-6) threw the last six innings for the Flyers without allowing an earned run to receive his second winning decision of the week. Junior righty Kyle Coenen made the start for UD, striking out one in three innings. Charlotte starter Tyler Barnette (1-2) received the loss after two innings with four runs allowed.
Senior Brian Blasik extended his hitting streak to 14 games in leading the Flyers with three RBI on a two-run double in the third inning and a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Senior Zach Stewart scored two runs, recorded two hits and drove in a run. Junior Jared Broughton had two hits with one run scored. Dayton hit four doubles on Sunday.
Charlotte scored first for the third consecutive game after consecutive walks led off the first inning. A fly-out advanced Shane Brown, the lead runner, to third base. The 49ers then scored on a double steal with one out.
Dayton answered with two runs in the second for the go-ahead lead. Freshman A.J. Ryan hit his fourth double is as many games to record UD’s first hit of the game. Stewart traded places with Ryan on a RBI-double to tie the game at one. Stewart gave UD the go-lead after advancing to third base on a wild pitch and, on the same play, advancing home on a throwing error by the UNCC catcher – Ross Steedly.
The Flyers added two more runs in the third inning as Bobby Glover and Joe Gayda walked to lead off. Blasik drove in both runners on a double to the left-center gap, giving UD a 4-1 lead. Dayton was retired in order to end the inning after a Charlotte pitching change, Hudson for Barnette.
Charlotte inched within one run of UD’s lead by tacking on two runs in the third inning. In Coenen’s last inning of work he recorded one strikeout, but allowed three consecutive hits – a single, double and a two-run single. Designated hitter Corbin Shive drove in the two runs, making it 4-3.
UD came back in the fourth inning by quickly loading the bases with no outs. Stewart led off with his second double of the day, Broughton singled to shortstop and Sunderman was hit by a pitch. That forced another Charlotte pitching change as Wes Hatley replaced Hudson. Facing his first batter – Kuris Duggan – Hatley threw a wild pitch to advance Stewart home for a 5-3 Flyer lead. Duggan walked to load the bases again. Newly-christened leadoff man Glover took advantage of the runners on base with a two-run single to put UD up 7-3.
Schrage entered the game in the fourth inning and retired the 49ers in order – the first of his five shutout innings on Sunday.
Charlotte’s last run of the game was unearned in the fifth inning. Tony Montalbano walked to reach base, advanced to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a throwing error by Duggan – who was attempting to pick him off at second. Shane Basen drove in Montalbano’s unearned run on a ground-out to short.
With one out in the sixth, Dayton loaded the bases as Sunderman walked, Duggan singled and Glover was intentionally walked. It forced another Charlotte pitching change, Micah Bryan in for Hatley. A passed ball on UNCC’s catcher Patrick Raley – who had just subbed in for injured starter Steedley in the sixth – allowed Sunderman to score his second run of the day. Duggan scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Blasik. Blasik’s third RBI of the day put the Flyers up for the eventual final score of 9-4.
Dayton returns to action on Tuesday in a road game with Toledo at 4 p.m. ET.
