WEEKEND PREVIEW• The University of Dayton baseball team will continue Atlantic 10 play this weekend in Richmond, Va. against Virginia Commonwealth University. The three-game series begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. with game two on Saturday at 2 p.m. and the finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
• The Flyers head into the weekend with a 6-18 record overall and 0-3 A-10 mark. Dayton is 2-10 on the road this season and looking to get back on the right track after losing four of the last five.
• VCU is amidst nine home games in 10 contests with a 16-9 record overall. The Rams are undefeated in the A-10 after sweeping St. Bonaventure at home last weekend. Head Coach Shawn Stiffler is in his third season at the helm.
WHO TO WATCH - DAYTON• The Flyers are batting .225 as a team with a .334 slugging percentage and .301 on-base percentage. UD has 34 doubles and 15 home runs on the year in 24 games.
• Leading Dayton is
Robbie Doring, with a .337 average, seven home runs, 16 RBI, and 20 runs scored, and
Glenn Jones, with nine RBI, a .287 average, and eight doubles. Â
• Dayton's pitching staff has combined for an ERA of 5.37 and 138 strikeouts in 204 1/3 innings. Opposing hitters are batting .285 off the Flyers.
• The starting rotation is TBA.
• The Flyers are posting a .963 fielding percentage with 32 errors and 20 double plays.
WHO TO WATCH - THE OPPONENT• VCU is batting at a .245 clip with 32 doubles, 31 stolen bases, and a .328 slugging percentage.
• Cody Acker and Jimmy Kerrigan have been the main offensive threats with 17 and 16 RBI respectively while Kerrigan is batting .368. Matt Davis has chipped in three home runs and 13 RBI.
• As a team, the Rams have a 4.80 ERA and 163 strikeouts compared to 101 walks in 227 innings of work.
• The projected starters are TBA.
• Defensively, the Rams have a .970 fielding percentage and 29 errors.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST– RICHMOND, VA.
Friday– Windy, High of 77 degrees, low of 57 degrees. 60% chance of rain, Wind at 21 mph
Saturday– AM Showers, High of 67 degrees, low of 42 degrees. 40% chance of rain, Wind at 15 mph
Sunday– Sunny, High of 59 degrees, low of 42 degrees. 0% chance of rain, Wind at 12 mph
LAST MEETINGDayton and VCU faced off in a three-game series last season with the Rams taking two of three from the Flyers. In the finale on April 5, 2015, VCU blanked UD in a 6-0 win on the road.
LAST OUTINGThe Flyers lost the second meeting of the season with Miami on Wednesday, 7-3.
Nick Ryan drove in a pair while Cam Silva provided the other RBI in the losing effort for Dayton. UD used six different pitchers in the weekday contest.
The Rams suffered a 7-1 loss to Maryland at home on Wednesday. Jimmy Kerrigan recorded the lone RBI for VCU while Benjamin Dum was saddled with the loss after giving up two unearned runs in the three-inning performance.
STATISTICAL RANKINGSDayton ranks third in the Atlantic 10 in double plays, fifth in hit-by-pitch, fourth in home runs, fourth in sacrifice bunts, and fifth in shutouts.
Individually,
Charlie Dant leads the league in complete games while
Robbie Doring is second in home runs, second in sacrifice flies, third in slugging percentage, and fifth in total bases.
UP NEXTThe Flyers will host Butler at home on Tuesday, April 5 at 3 p.m.
