Box Score
DAYTON, Ohio – The University of Dayton baseball team dropped a 9-6 decision to Ball State in the series opener Saturday after the Cardinals hit three home runs.

Ball State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a two-run home run to right, putting Dayton in an early hole.

The Flyers answered in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run single to right by junior Aaron Huesman, tying the game up at 2-2.

The Cardinals took the lead back in the second with an RBI double to right and an RBI groundout. They went to add two more in the third with another home run to make it a 6-2 contest.

Huesman drove in his third run of the game in the third with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the third, cutting the deficit to three runs.

In the bottom of the fourth, Dayton got a crucial hit from sophomore Glenn Jones, a three-run blast off the scoreboard in left field, tying the game once again at 6-6. It was Jones' third home run of the season.

That score held until the eighth inning when Ball State got its third home run of the ball game, this time a three-run shot to right, putting the Cardinals up 9-6.

Ball State held off the Flyer comeback attempt and handed Dayton a 9-6 loss.

UD recorded eight hits in the game and left seven runners stranded. Jones and Huesman led the way with three RBI apiece. Jones and Ryan both had multi-hit games as well.

Starter Charlie Dant pitched well for the first six innings of the contest, striking out seven while walking two and allowing seven hits. Freshman Tyson Schnitkey was in line for the decision after pitching the eighth and ninth, allowing three runs on two hits.

The Flyers (5-10) will play Ball State again on Sunday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.