TOLEDO, Ohio – The University of Dayton baseball team dropped a one-run game to Toledo on Tuesday night, losing by a score of 7-6. Dayton led by as many as five runs at one point during the fifth inning and also by a 6-4 margin heading into the bottom of the eighth, but a three-run eighth from the Rockets would spell doom for the Flyers, who were searching for their second consecutive victory. Dayton's overall record slips to 8-19 this season, while Toledo improves to 10-18. Dayton also now has a 2-5 record this season in one-run ballgames.

KEY MOMENT
Dayton held a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, but Toledo's AJ Montoya hit a tone-setting solo home run over the left field wall to open the bottom half of the frame to start a furious rally for the Rockets. Chris Meyers immediately followed Montoya's long ball with a hit of his own, a single through the right side of the infield. Meyers was moved over to third on a sac bunt and a fielder's choice before scoring the game-tying run on an RJ Wagner wild pitch. Brad Boss drew a two-out walk and advanced to second on another wild pitch, then was driven home by John Servello, who hit a single into center field.

SCORING SUMMARY
Top 1st: (Dayton 4, Toledo 0)
Mitchell Garrity and Pat Meehan reached on a walk and hit by pitch, respectively to give Dayton a pair of early baserunners. Garrity was driven home by Brandon Smith who hit a ball hard through the left side for an RBI single, while Meehan scored on a wild pitch. Michael Cleary doubled into the right-center gap to send Smith and Connor Echols across the plate and double the Dayton lead.
Bottom 2nd: (Dayton 4, Toledo 1)
Chris Meyers hit a two-out solo home run into left field for Toledo's first hit of the game to put the Rockets on the board.
Top 3rd: (Dayton 5, Toledo 1)
Brandon Smith hit a home run to dead center field, which cleared the 400-foot fence with plenty of room to spare.
Top 5th: (Dayton 6, Toledo 1)
Pat Meehan led off the inning with a double to left field and advanced to third on a Connor Echols sac bunt. He went on to score off a Brian Wood sac fly to right field.
Bottom 5th: (Dayton 6, Toledo 3)
Three of the first four hitters in the inning reached base on a single and a pair of walks to load the bases for the Rockets, prompting Dayton to make a call to the bullpen for the first time of the game replacing Justin Longbrake with Josh Nixon. The two next batters hit back-to-back singles to plate two runners, but Nixon locked in to set down two straight Rocket hitters, including an inning-ending strikeout.
Bottom 7th: (Dayton 6, Toledo 4)
A leadoff walk followed by two straight singles loaded the bases with no outs for Toledo. A sac fly scored the runner from third, but Tyler Jones came in as a reliever and retired the next two batters to avoid any additional damage.
Bottom 8th: (Toledo 7, Dayton 6)
AJ Montoya hit a solo home run to left to open the inning and was immediately followed by a single from Chris Meyers, who advanced to third following a sac bunt and fielder's choice. Meyers scored and tied the game off an RJ Wagner wild pitch. Brad Boss, who was the batter at the plate on the wild pitch, went on to draw a walk in the at-bat and advanced to second on another wild pitch. A two-out single from John Servello scored Boss on what would prove to be the game-winning run.

KEY STATS

• Brandon Smith had his third three-hit game of the season on Tuesday, going 3-for-4 at the dish, with a home run and two runs driven in. His three hits accounted for half of Dayton's hits on the day.
• Smith now has homered in two consecutive games, as he also hit a solo home run off the scoreboard in Dayton's win over VCU on Sunday.
• Dayton set a season high with six stolen bases on the game, including two from Connor Echols, who is now a perfect 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts this season
• Four of the six stolen bases came in the first two innings of the game
• Michael Cleary, who hit a two-run double in the first inning to extend Dayton's lead at the time to 4-0, has now hit safely in four consecutive games.
• Brian Wood tallied his first RBI of the season with a sac fly into right field that scored Pat Meehan.
• Justin Longbrake made his first career start and was solid in 4.1 innings of work, allowing three hits, three runs and three walks.
• Longbrake also struck out eight Toledo batters, shattering a previous career high of three punch outs. He had just nine strikeouts in 17.0 innings entering the game.

UP NEXT
Dayton will host Saint Louis for a three-game series at Woerner Field this weekend. Saint Louis (21-9, 8-1 A-10) is in sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10 entering the weekend series.