Box Score SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The University of Dayton baseball team opened up the 2015 season on Friday with a tough 11-4 loss to South Carolina-Upstate in the first game of the Spartanburg Classic.
The Flyers had an early lead, but a five-run fourth by the Spartans doomed the Dayton effort.
Senior
A.J. Ryan gave Dayton the initial lead in the top of the second inning with a solo home run, his first of the season.
The host Spartans quickly responded though with a two-run shot of their own in the bottom of the second, putting USC-Upstate on top 2-1.
Dayton allowed another run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single up the middle after a single and a walk put a Spartan runner in scoring position.
The Flyers got a run back in the fourth when senior
Zach Schira ripped an RBI single to left, scoring Ryan and making it a 3-2 contest.
USC-Upstate answered again in the bottom of the fourth and blew open the game with a five-run inning. That put the Flyers in an 8-2 hole.
Senior
Alex Harris continued Dayton's climb back into the game with an RBI double in the top of the fifth, scoring sophomore
Glenn Jones. Ryan added to the effort with his second RBI of the game when he plated senior
Sergio Plasencia. That narrowed the gap to 8-4.
A fourth Dayton error in the bottom of the seventh inning put USC-Upstate up five at 9-4. The Spartans went on to add two more in the frame, pushing their advantage to seven runs.
It was too much for the Flyers to overcome as Dayton dropped the season opener, 11-4.
The Flyers totaled four runs on seven hits, but four errors gave USC-Upstate too many chances. Ryan led the way for Dayton offensively with a 2-for-3 outing, a pair of RBI, and a home run. Schira added two hits and an RBI as well.
Starting pitcher
Noah Buettgen (0-1) went five innings before giving way to the bullpen. He allowed eight runs on seven hits and suffered from three defensive errors behind him. Redshirt
Eric Ashbrook came on in relief and pitched the next two innings while freshman
Tyson Schnitkey tossed the final frame.
The Flyers (0-1) will stay in Spartanburg for a neutral contest against Army on the campus of Wofford University. The game is slated for a 1 p.m. start.
