March 23, 2006
The University of Dayton baseball team looks to get back on track with a stretch of seven games at home beginning with its first three conference games this weekend against La Salle at Time Warner Cable Stadium.
The Flyers and Explorers begin play on Friday at 2:30 p.m. and continue on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at Noon. All three games can be followed with Gametracker at www.DaytonFlyers.com. The series will also feature live audio for each game with broadcasts from Flyer Radio (99.1 FM) on Friday and Sunday and 1610 Information Radio (1610 AM) on Saturday. All three games can also be heard at www.DaytonFlyers.com.
UD has lost three of its last four games, but all came away from home. Dayton is 2-2 this season at Time Warner Cable Stadium and 31-20 overall in the third season at the field along I-75. In fact, UD has not been swept in a three-game series at home since Apr. 24 & 26, 2004 when Dayton lost three games to George Washington. Last year, the Flyers swept both Temple and Richmond en route to an 18-4 record at home.
While the Flyer offense is tied for 10th in the A-10 in batting average (.248), UD ranks fourth runs scored (94) and RBI (84). After ranking second in the A-10 in runs scored last season and third in batting average, the Flyers have produced runs in 2006 with "small ball". Dayton ranks second in the conference in sacrifice flies (14) and stolen bases (35) while also ranking fourth in sacrifice bunts (10) and hitting into just three double plays this season.
The Flyers enter the beginning of conference play tied for the third most wins (8) in the Atlantic 10. A big reason for Dayton's success has been a defense that ranks second in the A-10 in fielding percentage (.965) while committing just 23 errors in 650 chances and turning 14 double plays.
Dayton's pitching staff has a 5.77 ERA this season, which ranks sixth in the A-10. The group has held its opponents to a .286 batting average, which is the fourth best mark in the conference.
After facing the Explorers, UD plays host to IPFW on Tuesday (2 p.m. ET) before taking on St. Bonaventure in a three-game A-10 series next weekend.
