SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The University of Dayton baseball team won its first game of the season on Saturday afternoon with a 6-3 triumph over Evansville.
The win marked head coach Jayson King's first with Dayton and improves the Flyers record to 1-1 this season. The loss drops the Purple Aces to 1-1 overall.

KEY MOMENT
With Dayton trailing 2-1 in the fourth inning, the Flyers picked up three runs to take back the lead, which was enough cushion for Jordan Cox, Austin Cline and Brandon Smith to close out the win on the mound.
 
KEY STATS
-Junior Pat Meehan went 3-3 at the plate and hit a leadoff home run for the Flyers for the second straight game. Meehan is now hitting 7-9 (.777) this season with three extra-base hits, including his two home runs.
-Sophomore Takahiro Yamada set a new career high with three hits.
-Sophomore Jordan Cox struck out nine batters in five innings of work, both of which set new career-high marks. Cox's previous career high in strikeouts was five on May 14, 2017 against Richmond.
-Brandon Smith came into the mound at the beginning of the ninth inning and retired the side in order to earn his first career save.

SCORING BREAKDOWN
Bottom 1:
Pat Meehan homered down the right field line. Dayton 1, Evansville 0

Top 3:
Evansville took advantage of two walks early in the inning with a double from Craig Shepherd to score both runners. Evansville 2, Dayton 1

Bottom 4:
Riley Tirotta opened the inning with a single into left field and advanced to third on a hit-and-run off a Connor Wilson ground ball. Tirotta was hit home by Takahiro Yamada, who hit a single out in to left field. Yamada advanced on a passed ball, then Bailey Montoya hit him home with yet another line drive single into the outfield. After Brantley Johnson was hit by a pitch, and Meehan walked, the bases were loaded for Brandon Smith, who also drew a walk and forced in another run for the Flyers. Dayton 4, Evansville 2

Bottom 6:
Consecutive singles by Johnson and Meehan, coupled with a throwing error by the Evansville pitcher, gave Dayton runners on second and third with just one out. Mitchell Garrity hit a sac fly out to deep center field to score Johnson and Brandon Smith followed Garrity with a single to left field to score Meehan.

Top 8:
Evansville's Kenton Crews led off the inning with a bunt single and advanced to third following a single and a ground out. Crews would go on to score off a Travis Tokarek single to center field.

UP NEXT:
Dayton will play Wofford tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Spartanburg, S.C. The Terriers lost their first game against Kentucky by a 6-1 margin and play Fordham on Saturday night.