DAYTON, Ohio – Dayton baseball blew a ninth inning lead and dropped the second game of its series with Rhode Island on Saturday by a score of 13-3. The Flyers are now 17-30 (7-13 A-10) on the year, while the Rams improve to 20-26 (10-10 A-10).
 
KEY MOMENT
Dayton held a 3-2 lead heading into the ninth inning, but walks helped doom the Flyers in the final frame, as Rhode Island ended up scoring 11 runs in a ninth inning rally effort on way to a 13-3 win for the Rams. Rhode Island began the inning by drawing back-to-back walks, then after a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, Dayton intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases and set up a force play at home, as well as a double play possibility with one out. Another walk forced in a run to tie the game at 3-3, then a double into the left-center gap drove in a pair of runs, giving the Rams the lead. The fifth walk of the inning loaded the bases back up and Sonny Ulliana cleared them in the next at-bat with a grand slam, which brought the score to 9-3. The Rams would go on to add four more runs in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach.
 
SCORING SUMMARY
Top 4th: (Rhode Island 2, Dayton 0)
Jackson Coutts hit a solo home run to open the inning, then was followed by Xavier Vargas and Sonny Ulliana, who hit back-to-back singles. Brett McManus reached base on a catcher's interference call to load the bases, the Sam Ilario reached on a fielder's choice to plate Vargas.
 
Bottom 6th: (Rhode Island 2, Dayton 1)
Pat Meehan singled to center field to open the inning and Michael Cleary hit a two-out single through the right side of the infield that tailed towards the right field line. Cleary was thrown out after attempting to turn the base hit into a double, but Meehan scored from first before Cleary was called out, putting the Flyers on the board.
 
Bottom 7th: (Dayton 3, Rhode Island 2)
For the second straight game, Dayton staged a rally in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead. Connor Wilson drew a leadoff walk and Bailey Montoya hit a single through the left side on a hit-and-run play to put runners on the corners with no outs. Takahiro Yamada dropped a bunt on a safety squeeze in the next at-bat, but Rhode Island's first baseman threw the ball away all the way into the outfield trying to catch Wilson scrambling back to third, allowing both Wilson and Montoya to score.
 
Top 9th: (Rhode Island 13, Dayton 3)
Rhode Island began the inning by drawing back-to-back walks, then after a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, Dayton intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases and set up a force play at home, as well as a double play possibility with one out. Another walk forced in a run to tie the game at 3-3, then a double into the left-center gap drove in a pair of runs, giving the Rams the lead. The fifth walk of the inning loaded the bases back up and Sonny Ulliana cleared them in the next at-bat with a grand slam, which brought the score to 9-3. The Rams would go on to add four more runs in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach.
 

KEY STATS

• Peter Rozman was the top performer of the day for the Flyers, shutting out the Rams and allowing just one hit in his 5.0 innings of relief. Rozman, who is one of five senior that will be honored during pre-game tomorrow, also struck out three batters in the outing.
• Starting pitcher Tyler Jones made his second start of the week and threw 3.0 innings, allowing two runs off four hits and striking out three.
• Connor Wilson earned the start at designated hitter and reached base in all three of his at bats. Wilson sandwiched a two-out double in the fourth inning with a pair of walks.
• Michael Cleary picked up the team's only RBI of the day with a single through the right side of the infield that drove home Pat Meehan.
•  Mitchell Garrity failed to reach base safely for the first time in 24 games, which was the longest streak Dayton had this season. 

UP NEXT
The series with Rhode Island concludes on Sunday for Senior Day at noon, where seniors Dom Golubiewski, Danny Hentz, Mason Kutruff, Peter Rozman and Masashi Sakamoto will all be honored during pre-game.