March 11, 2007

Box Score

DAYTON, Ohio - Senior Chris Rubio hurled a complete-game four-strikeout performance in a 3-1 Dayton victory over Oakland on Sunday at Time Warner Cable Stadium. The win lifts UD to 4-8 on the season entering Wednesday's opener of the FGCU Classic against Notre Dame in Fort Meyers, Fla.

Rubio scattered five hits while allowing just one run for his first win of the season. The senior righty struck out four batters while walking just two and retiring the side in order on four occasions on the afternoon.

Sophomore Jeff Mercer was the lone Flyer to record multiple hits on the day with a 2-for-4 effort. Four other UD players had one hit each including Michael Massa, Bobby Getty and Joe McSoley who each recorded a double. Massa and Getty added a run scored while McSoley collected an RBI.

Senior Cale Ort was 1-for-2 with a RBI while Max Navalinski walked, stole a base and scored for the Flyers.

Michael Massa started the offense for the Flyers in the first with a leadoff double to left centerfield on a 1-0 pitch. Cole Tyrell moved him to third on a sacrifice bunt to the left side and Massa then scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 Dayton lead.

Bobby Getty doubled down the left field line on the second pitch of the bottom of the fourth inning for UD. He moved to third on a groundout by Jeff Mercer. Max Navalinski followed with a walk and stole second base to put runners on second and third with one out. Joe McSoley followed with a RBI groundout to the pitcher to plate Getty. Then Cale Ort ripped an infield single to second base for another RBI as Navalinski scored from third to put Dayton ahead 3-0 after four innings.

Oakland scored its lone run of the game on a two-out single up the middle off the outstretched hand of UD pitcher Chris Rubio, but the Flyer senior regroup to hold the Golden Grizzlies to just one run in the inning for a 3-1 lead. From there, Rubio allowed just one OU base runner in the final four innings of work to clinch a 3-1 complete-game victory for Dayton.