BRONX, N.Y. – The University of Dayton softball team eliminated fourth-seeded Massachusetts with a 6-2 win Thursday night on the second day of the 2014 Atlantic 10 Championship hosted by Fordham at Bahoshy Field. The Flyers advance to the third day of the tournament and will face No. 3 Saint Joseph's Friday at 2:30 p.m. Three players tallied three hits on the afternoon including Junior Tiffany Ricks who went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, two walks and a runs scored.

The Flyers redeemed yesterday's loss to the Minutewomen in the first game of the tournament to win the team's second game of the week - the most by any Dayton squad at the post-season event. Ricks and freshman Gabrielle Snyder (2-for-4) each knocked out a home run on the evening and sophomore Kennedy Haynes was also 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI, one walk and one run scored.

UD moves to 3-11 all-time in Championship play in the team's sixth appearance in the tournament.

Dayton (27-28) put a run on the board in the top of the third to get the scoring going in the game as Ricks blasted a two-out home run to left center as the Flyers took the 1-0 lead. Massachusetts (16-22-1) answered with a two-run bottom half of the inning when A-10 Freshman of the Year Jena Cozza sent a two-run homer out of the field. The Minutewomen went ahead, 2-1.

Snyder led off the fourth with a solo home run of her own, knotting the game at two runs apiece. Facing bases loaded, senior Kasi Vazquez took a full-count base on balls to walk in a run and Ricks followed with another walk to set the score at 4-2 in favor of the Flyers.

With two outs and a runner on first in the top of the fifth, sophomore Kennedy Haynes sent the ball to the wall and Trotta raced around third, then on to home but beat the play at the plate for the team's fifth score of the contest. The Minutewomen threatened in the bottom of the frame with a runner on second put a putout at first ended the inning with no damage.

Vazquez picked up her second RBI of the game in the top of the sixth when she doubled in junior Natalie Mariano from first. The Flyers loaded the bases but the Minutewomen got out of the jam with a strikeout and a caught foul ball. Dayton headed to the bottom of the sixth with the 6-2 advantage, which would prove to be the final margin.

Junior Kayla English (17-13) was credited with the win in the circle for the Flyers after working 4.2 innings. She struck out six batters to two walks and gave up two earned runs on three hits. Sophomore Emily Froment tossed 1.1 innings of relief, walking one, while Snyder closed out the game for UD striking out three of the four batters she faced.

Caroline Raymond (10-13) took the loss for the Minutewomen after throwing 3.1 innings in the circle. She struck out one, walked one and gave up four earned runs on six hits. Tara Klee finished the game for Massachusetts after working 3.2 innings with two strike outs and five walks.

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