Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box

DAYTON, Ohio – Although win number 200 for Head Coach Cara LaPlaca was sweet, it’s safe to say that number 201 was even sweeter as the University of Dayton softball team earned a berth into the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Saturday. Dayton earned its place in the tournament with a 5-4 win over the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday at UD Softball Stadium.

Prior to this season, the Flyers (19-24, 11-8 A-10) had not advanced to the A-10 Tournament since 2000. It is LaPlaca’s first team to advance to the A-10 Tournament after taking over the team in 2008.

The Flyers did it with a gutsy performance against the 49ers. Dayton trailed early, but caught up as the teams took turns trading the lead until the score was knotted at four apiece heading into the sixth inning.

Charlotte did its best to pitch around junior Lauren Nacke, Dayton’s career leader in home runs and RBI. Nacke was walked to lead off the sixth inning, however, that move would come back to haunt the 49ers. A throwing error by pitcher Katie Watkins moved Nacke to second on an attempted sacrifice by Kathleen Maloof. Brown’s successful sacrifice bunt in the next at-bat put Maloof and Nacke in scoring position.

In the next at-bat, junior catcher Courtney Kutsulis hit a long fly-ball to right field which brought Nacke across the plate for the go-ahead run.

In the top of the seventh inning, freshman left-handed pitcher Alysha Isaacson quickly dispatched the first two batters for Charlotte. UD ran into a jam when Tenaya Tucker reached on a throwing error and Briana Gwaltney followed with a base hit to right field. However, Dayton regained its composure in the next at-bat as senior Emily Stegeman connected with junior first basemen Brandy Brown to record the final out on a 6-3 groundout.

Isaacson (11-11) pitched four innings of relief and had one strikeout.  Junior Sarah Wedel pitched the first three innings and had one strikeout while walking two.

Trailing 1-0 in the first inning, sophomore Carlyn Harlow drove Nacke home for the first run of the game for UD. Maloof inched UD ahead 2-1 in the second inning on an RBI single up the middle.

Charlotte put two runs on the board in the third inning, however, the Flyers countered with two of their own in the fourth inning when Maloof homered to put Dayton ahead 4-3.

The 49ers scored on an attempted double steal in the fifth inning as Gwaltney crossed the plate before Jalisa Rock was tagged out by Brown for the final out. Gwaltney’s run tied the game at four apiece, which led to Kutsulis’ key sacrifice in the sixth inning.

The first game was another battle as the Flyers went toe-to-toe with the 49ers. Dayton and Charlotte battled through regulation with a 0-0 tie as neither team was willing to break.

In the top of the eighth inning, Charlotte capitalized on a pair of Flyer errors as Gwaltney singled Chelsea Stamey home. Lang’s sacrifice fly brought Whitney Williams across the plate as both runs were scored unearned due to the errors.

Isaacson pitched a complete game in the first game. She had two strikeouts and two walks. She threw 141 pitches combined in her two appearances.

This year’s Atlantic 10 Tournament will be held in Charlotte, N.C. Dayton will play on May 11. Game times and pairings have not been finalized by the conference office.

Dayton will honor its two seniors, Alicia Nichols and Emily Stegeman on Sunday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader against the EKU Colonels at UD Softball Stadium. Admission is free and live stats are available on DaytonFlyers.com. Following the games, there will be an autograph session and children’s clinic at the stadium.