DAYTON, Ohio – The University of Dayton baseball team faced Butler University in non-conference action Wednesday and dropped a 12-7 decision to the former Atlantic 10 foe.

The Bulldogs jumped out to an early lead with three runs on four hits in the top of the first, including a single, double, and triple consecutively to lead off the game. Butler scored again in the second to take a 4-0 lead early on.

Dayton was able to get on the board in the bottom of the second with a pair of hit by pitches and a pair of walks. Sophomore Robbie Doring followed with a sacrifice fly to right, pulling the Flyers within two.

In the third, the visiting Bulldogs got the two runs back to push their advantage back to four runs.

The Flyers exploded for four runs in the bottom half of the fourth thanks a bases loaded walk by Doring, a sacrifice fly by senior Sergio Plasencia, and a two-run single by senior Alex Harris. That evened the score up a six runs apiece.

Butler was quick to respond again in the sixth with a three-run home run to left and a solo home run immediately after, making it a 10-6 ball game.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Flyers got a run back thanks to an RBI single to center by sophomore Nick Gobert.

The Bulldogs countered in the eighth with a pair of solo home runs extending their lead back to five.

The Flyers were unable to overcome the large deficit in their last at-bat and lost for the fourth straight contest.

On offense, Dayton recorded an astonishing seven hit by pitches to go with eight hits and five walks. Butler on the other hand scored 12 runs on 16 hits and six free passes. Harris led the way for Dayton with two RBI and a 2-for-3 outing while Doring and Gobert (2-for-4) both drove in a pair as well.

Sophomore Brad Burkhart made his first start of the season on the mound for the Flyers, but only last one inning before giving way to the bullpen. Freshman Mason Kutruff pitched three innings in relief while freshman Danny Hentz (L, 0-1) pitched the sixth inning and allowed the four runs that put Butler ahead for the remainder of the contest.

The Flyers (6-16) will return to conference play this weekend as they head to La Salle for a three-game set.