GAME PREVIEW• The University of Dayton baseball team will return to Atlantic 10 play this weekend as it heads to conference newcomer Davidson College. The Flyers and Wildcats open the series Friday at 6 p.m. before meeting Saturday at 1 p.m. and again right after game two in a doubleheader.
• The Flyers will head back to league play with a 11-24 record overall and a 2-10 A-10 mark, but coming off a pair of midweek victories over Toledo and Akron at home. Dayton is 2-7 on the road in 2015 including getting swept in their last road series against George Washington last weekend.
• Davidson enters the weekend with a 15-15 record on the season and 5-7 A-10 record. The Wildcats are led by 25-year veteran head coach Dick Cooke, who has guided Davidson to a 9-5 record at the friendly confines of Wilson Field this season.
WHO TO WATCH - DAYTON• Offensively, Dayton has a .236 average with 59 doubles, 37 steals, and 170 free passes in 35 games.
• Leading the way for UD are seniors
Sergio Plasencia, who is batting .274 with seven doubles and 18 RBI, and
Alex Harris, who is batting .265 with eight doubles and 14 RBI. Senior
A.J. Ryan has chipped in 20 RBI as well.
• Pitchers
Charlie Dant (1-7, 4.83 ERA, 49 k's),
Noah Buettgen (2-4, 4.17 ERA, 40 k's), and
Bradley Horn (1-3, 39 k's) will get the nod as starters.
• As a pitching staff, Dayton has continued to lower its ERA, now posting a mark of 4.73. Freshman
Tyson Schnitkey leads the team with 17 relief appearances with fellow newcomer
Mason Kutruff adding a team-high five wins.
• Defensively, the Flyers have a .959 fielding percentage with 57 errors and 22 double plays.
WHO TO WATCH - THE OPPONENT• Davidson is batting .263 as a team and has a .354 slugging percentage and .361 on-base percentage. The Wildcats have hit 13 home runs and stolen 13 bases.
• Lee Miller is the team's biggest offensive threat with 11 doubles, 27 RBI, and a .513 slugging percentage. Alec Acosta has contributed 11 extra-base hits as well.
• The pitching staff for Davidson has recorded an ERA of 4.52 with 202 strikeouts compared to 133 walks. Cody White has four saves on the year to anchor the bullpen.
• The Wildcats defensively have a .952 fielding percentage, 56 errors, and 29 double plays.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST – DAVIDSON, N.C.
Friday – Mostly Cloudy, High of 75 degrees, low of 58 degrees. 20% chance of rain, Wind at 3 mph
Saturday – Mostly Sunny, High of 83 degrees, low of 61 degrees. 10% chance of rain, Wind at 5 mph.
Sunday – Rain, High of 72 degrees, low of 64 degrees. 100% chance of rain, Wind at 5 mph.
LAST MEETINGDayton and Davidson are meeting for the first time in program history this weekend.
WITHIN THE CONFERENCEThe Flyers are ranked 13th in batting average and eighth in team ERA in the A-10. Individually, Ryan is tied for seventh in home runs while Plasencia is eighth in walks. Kutruff is tied for third in wins with Dant leading the conference in innings pitched and ranking fifth in strikeouts. Schnitkey is second in appearances on the mound.
The Wildcats are ranked ninth in the league in team batting average and just ahead of UD in seventh in team ERA this year. Individually, Miller is eighth in batting average, sixth in doubles, and ninth in on-base percentage. Matt Saeta is ranked third in wins and fifth in ERA. Beeker trails Dant for second in the A-10 in innings pitched and has the third most strikeouts.
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