WEEKEND PREVIEW• The University of Dayton baseball team will finish up the 2014 regular season this weekend by hosting George Mason University in a three-game set. The Flyers and Patriots open up the weekend on Thursday at 3 p.m. The series continues Friday at 1 p.m. before the finale on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET.
• The Flyers enter the final weekend of the season with a 23-26 record overall and a 13-11 Atlantic 10 mark. Dayton needs just one win to clinch a spot in the A-10 tournament and is 12-6 at home this year. Most recently, Dayton defeated Akron 9-2 on Tuesday in non-conference action. Head coach
Tony Vittorio leads UD in his 15th year with the program.
• George Mason currently sits in fourth-place in the A-10 standings with a 28-19 record overall and a 14-8 conference mark. The Patriots are 8-7 away from home this season and have dropped two of its last three contests. In recent action, GMU prevented the series sweep by Saint Joesph's with a 2-1 win on Sunday. The Patriots are led by a veteran coaching staff, including 33rd-year head coach Bill Brown.
• Before Saturday's contest, the Dayton Baseball program will hold their senior recognition ceremony starting at 11:30 a.m. in honor of the 10 Flyer seniors.
WHO TO WATCH - DAYTON• The Dayton offense is batting .270 as a team with a .383 slugging percentage and a .360 on-base percentage. The Flyers have 87 steals and 99 doubles this season while drawing 149 walks and 95 hit-by-pitches.
• Leading the way for UD is
Aaron Huesman with 39 RBI, three home runs, and a .306 average. AJ Ryan has added 36 RBI, four home runs, and 14 doubles as well.
Robby Sunderman ranks in the top of numerous categories in the A-10 with a .369 average, 50 runs, 16 doubles, and 20 steals.
• The UD pitching staff has combined for an ERA of 5.85 and 254 strikeouts compared to 198 walks.
Nate Harris and
Nick Weybright are tied for the team lead with three saves each.
• Getting the start for Dayton this weekend will be junior
Noah Buettgen (6-6, 4.24 ERA, 61 k's), sophomore
Charlie Dant (3.84 ERA, 6-5, 55 k's), and senior
Joe Wahl (13 starts, 6.39 ERA, 38 k's).
• In the Atlantic 10 conference, the Flyers rank fifth in batting average, 11th in team ERA, and fourth in fielding percentage. Individually, Sunderman ranks third in batting average while
Alex Harris is eighth and Ryan is 10th.
Sunderman also leads the league in hits, ranks third in runs scored, and fourth in doubles. Huesman is fourth in RBI and Berry is second in home runs.
WHO TO WATCH - GEORGE MASON• George Mason offensively is batting .269 with a .358 slugging percentage and a .362 on-base percentage. The Patriots have 89 doubles, 12 home runs, and 189 walks this season while stealing 37 bases in 50 attempts.
• GMU is led by Blaise Fernandez, who has 32 RBI and 29 runs scored, and Luke Willis, who has 29 RBI and 19 steals. Chris Cook also leads the nation in hit by pitches with 27.
• The Patriots' pitching staff is the best in the A-10 with a 3.34 ERA and 296 strikeouts compared to just 126 walks. Mark Maksimow and Tyler Zombro ahve five and four saves respectively.
• The probable starters for this weekend will be Anthony Montefusco (7-3, 1.76 ERA, 76 k's), Jared Gaynor (1.83 ERA, 7-4, 62 k's), and John Williams (4-2, 2.96 ERA, 8 starts).
• In the Atlantic 10, George Mason ranks fourth in batting average, first in team ERA, and fifth in fielding percentage. Individually, Montefusco ranks second in ERA while Maynor is third in ERA. Fernandez is tied for the league lead in doubles and Willis is fourth in steals. Montefusco also leads the A-10 in strikeouts.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST –   DAYTON, OH
Thursday - AM Rain, High of 63 degrees, low of 41 degrees.
90% chance of rain, Wind at 16 mph.
Friday - Showers, High of 59 degrees, low of 42 degrees.
40% chance of rain, Wind at 7 mph.
Saturday - Few showers, High of 61 degrees, low of 43 degrees.
30% chance of rain, Wind at 8 mph.
NATIONAL RANKINGSDayton currently ranks 10th in the nation in steals and steals per game to go with the fifth most hit by pitches in the country. The Flyers are also 23rd in doubles per game, 41st in sacrifice flies, and 62nd in home runs per game. Individually, Sunderman is 25th in runs per game, 26th in total runs, and 51st in hits.
Alex Harris is 16th in the country in on-base percentage and 22nd in hit by pitches per game. Huesman ranks 26th in hit by pitches per game and 21st in total hit by pitches. Buettgen is fourth in complete games and 27th in starts.
COACH VITTORIO GETS 400TH WIN AT DAYTONHead coach
Tony Vittorio recorded his 400th win at the University of Dayton on Sunday, April 12, 2014 with a 9-5 victory over Rhode Island at home.
UD GETS ANOTHER PLAYER OF THE WEEK IN RYANJunior AJ Ryan received his first award this season when the Atlantic 10 Conference named him Player of the Week on April 7. Ryan led the Flyers to a 3-1 record the week prior by batting .563 with nine hits, three doubles, and seven RBI.
SUNDERMAN PICKS UP SECOND STRAIGHT A10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDSenior leader
Robby Sunderman had another oustanding week for the Flyers and was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Week for the second time in a row. The veteran third baseman led the team in batting average, runs, hits, and total bases yet again.
SCHIRA EARNS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK HONORSJunior transfer
Zach Schira was named A-10 Rookie of the Week on March 10 after leading the Flyers offensively the weekend prior. The Chandler, Arizona native batted. 400 with three RBI, six hits, two doubles, and caught all four games behind the plate.
A PAIR OF FLYERS PICK UP A-10 AWARDSLast week's Atlantic 10 Weekly Baseball release saw two Dayton baseball players recognized for their efforts on the diamon.
Sophomore pitcher
Charlie Dant was named Co-Pitcher of the Week after tossing a complete game in a 4-1 win over Belmont. Dant struck out seven and walked just one while giving up a single run to the Bruins. It was his first career complete game and moved his record to 2-0 on the year.
Freshman pitcher
Mark Giesler was named Rookie of the Week after pitching three shutout innings for the Flyers in their contest against Middle Tennessee State. The Jasper, Ind. kept Dayton in a tight ball game and held the Blue Raiders in check over the last three innings.
HUESMAN NAMED A10 CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEKIn the first Atlantic 10 awards release of the season, sophomore
Aaron Huesman picked up Co-Player of the Week honors after his performance the first two days of the Spartanburg Classic. The Dublin, Ohio native batted .556 with nine RBI, two home runs, including a grand slam in Dayton's two contests.
FLYERS PICKED TO FINISH TENTH IN A10The Atlantic 10 released their 2014 preseason poll and tabbed the Flyers to finish 10th in the league this year. After failing to reach the postseason in 2013, Dayton reconstructed its lineup and brought in a number of new faces. Little is known about the Flyers around the league, which puts them in prime position to upset the A-10 favorites.
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE RECOGNITIONMark PodlasPreseason Second Team All-Atlantic 10 – College Sports Madness
Robby SundermanBest Baserunner - College Baseball Insider
COVERING THE NATIONThe 2014 Dayton roster has players from across the United States has Coach Vittorio and his staff have recruited the best in brightest players not only in the Midwest, but from each region of the country. Flyers hail from 10 different states, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, New York, Washington, and California.
GETTING BACK TO THE A10 CHAMPIONSHIPThe Dayton Baseball won both the regular season and tournament titles in 2012, advancing to the first NCAA tournament in school history. This year's squad has eight players that were members of the 2012 Championship team.
 and four coaches that were involved in that title run as well. With many new faces in the line-up these returners have stressed the importance and what it takes to get back on top of the A10.
THE NEW AND IMPROVED ATLANTIC 10This season will mark a new era in the Atlantic 10 Conference as far as baseball is concerned with schools leaving and joining the A10. Departing after last season were Butler, Xavier, and Charlotte. New to the A10 this year will be George Mason, with Davidson joining in 2015.
HONORARY FLYER CAMERON NEALDuring the 2013 season, the Dayton Baseball program announced the addition of
Cameron Neal to its family. Cameron is a local boy that has battled a brain tumor. He was partnered up with the Flyers through the Friends of Jaclyn foundation. What started out as a young boy meeting with a few players has blossomed into a tight-knit relationship that not only benefits Cameron, but the players as well.
With his own locker and uniform, Cameron will be seen at as many of the games as he can attend this season. He is not part of just a community service project, but truly a member of the Dayton Baseball team.
WEYBRIGHT AN ALL-ROOKIE PERFORMERDayton closer
Nick Weybright was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team after a breakout freshman season for the Flyers. The Indianapolis native had a 2.53 ERA, a 3-1 record, and four saves in 21.1 innings of work. Weybright also had a 20-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio and was a solid component of the UD bullpen.
VITTORIO JOINS 600-WIN CLUBWith a dramatic 5-4 win over Wofford on Friday, March 1, 2013 Coach Vittorio got the 600th win of his career. Already the winningest coach in Dayton history, Coach V surpassed yet another milestone in his career.
FORMER FLYERS IN THE MINOR, MAJOR LEAGUESMike Hauschild - Lancaster Jethawks (Houston Astros)
Cameron Hobson - Jackson Generals (Seattle Mariners)
Jerry Blevins - Washington Nationals (MLB)
Craig Stammen - Washington Nationals (MLB)
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