Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WESTFIELD, Ind. – The University of Dayton baseball team split its doubleheader with Buffalo Sunday after taking game one 7-5 before falling in the night cap 6-3.

Game 1 – Dayton 7, Buffalo 5
Dayton picked up its third win in as many games with a 7-5 decision over Buffalo in the series opener.

The Bulls took the initial lead of the game with an RBI single in the top of the first. Buffalo went on to add two more runs to their lead, making it a 3-0 ball game.

Dayton got a run back in the bottom of the first on senior Alex Harris' RBI double to right-center, scoring sophomore Cale Dineen from first.

Buffalo got the run back in the second inning with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch that put the Bulls ahead by three runs again. Another run made it a 5-1 contest in favor of Buffalo.

The Flyers had an answer of their own in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI triple by sophomore Matt Poland and an RBI single by senior Greg Rhude. Senior Sergio Plasencia followed suit with an RBI single of his own to cut the deficit to 5-4.

Dayton managed to tie the game up at 5-5 in the fourth when Poland singled up the middle. The Buffalo third basemen attempted to throw Poland out at second but an errant throw allowed senior Zach Schira to score from third. Plasencia put Dayton on top with a sacrifice fly, scoring Poland for the go-ahead run.

Sophomore Robbie Doring put the Flyers on top by two runs with an RBI single to right in the bottom of the fifth. That made it a 7-5 contest.

In the end, Dayton held on for its third consecutive win.

The Flyers totaled 10 hits in the game including two-hit games from Harris, Doring, and Poland. Plasencia drove in two runs while Harris, Doring, Poland, and Rhude chipped in as well.

Starter Noah Buettgen went 1 2/3 innings before giving way to freshman Mason Kutruff out of the bullpen. Kutruff (W, 2-0) pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing now runs on two hits, earning the win for the Flyers. Fellow freshman Tyson Schnitkey continued Dayton's success on the mound with two shutout innings of work. Redshirt freshman Jason Johnson tossed a perfect eighth before junior Sam Brunner (S, 3) closed out the ninth for his third save of the season.
 
Game 2 – Dayton 3, Buffalo 6
The Flyers came up short in the second game of the day, falling 6-3 to Buffalo.

Buffalo took the initial lead for the second straight game after scoring on an RBI single in the top of the fourth. The Bulls went on to add three more runs in the frame with five hits and a walk in the fateful fourth.

Dayton managed to put runners on base, but was unable to capitalize throughout the early stages of the contest.

The Flyers were able to break up the shutout in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run triple by Poland, cutting UD's deficit in half at 4-2. Rhude was then able to plate Poland with a sacrifice fly to left, making it a one-run game.

Buffalo extended its narrow margin in the top of the eighth with an RBI double to right, pushing the score to 5-3. The Bulls scored again in the ninth, picking up another insurance run.

Dayton was unable to complete the sweep and dropped the second game of the series, 6-3.

The Flyers recorded six hits in the contest while giving up nine to the Bulls. Doring led the way for UD with a 2-for-4 outing and a pair of doubles. Poland drove in two while Rhude added an RBI as well.

Starter Charlie Dant (L, 1-3) pitched five innings for the Flyers, giving up four runs on seven hits while striking out five. Reliever Ben Polansky came in in the sixth inning and pitched two innings, allowing a single run while freshman Danny Hentz came on in the eighth. Redshirt freshman Eric Ashbrook finished off the game in the ninth.

The Flyers (4-7) will finish up their series with Buffalo Monday in Xenia, Ohio with a pair of seven-inning contests.