Box Score DAYTON – The University of Dayton baseball team dropped game two of its series with Fordham on Friday morning by a score of 4-3. Dayton is now 29-23-1 (16-7 A-10), while Fordham improves to 33-22 (14-9 A-10) with the win. The rubber match for the series will be tomorrow at 12 p.m. (ET), which will also be Senior Day, as the Flyers recognize Connor Echols, Tyler Henry, Ben Hughes and Bailey Montoya. The Flyers are in third place in the Atlantic 10 right now, but can move back into the second spot of the standings with a win tomorrow.
 
KEY MOMENT
Dayton had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh with a 3-2 lead and just one out with the opportunity to add some insurance runs, but a 3-2-3 double play got Fordham out of the jam, then the Rams responded with one run apiece in the eighth and ninth innings to earn the win.
 
SCORING SUMMARY
Top 1: Fordham 1, Dayton 0
CJ Vazquez hit a leadoff single, then scored all the way from first with two outs on an errant pickoff attempt.
 
Bottom 3: Dayton 1, Fordham 1
Michael Cleary's fourth home run of the year tied up the game at 1-1.
 
Top 4: Fordham 2, Dayton 1
Alvin Melendez answered for Fordham with a solo home run of his own to kick off the fourth inning.
 
Bottom 5: Dayton 3, Fordham 2
Jay Curtis reached on an error and Marcos Pujols singled before Takahiro Yamada dropped a sacrifice bunt to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Michael Cleary drove in Curtis with a single through the right side, then Pujols would come in to score on a passed ball.
 
Top 8: Dayton 3, Fordham 3
CJ Vazquez singled and Jason Coules walked to give Fordham a pair of baserunners and the Rams moved them both into scoring position on a wild pitch. Alvin Melendez walked to load the bases and a sacrifice fly from Matt Tarabek tied up the game.
 
Top 9: Fordham 4, Dayton 3
Nick Labella led off the final inning with a double and scored on a Jake Baker single to right field from third after advancing on a groundout.
 
KEY STATS

• Starting pitcher Cole Pletka finished with a line of 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, ER, 6 K, BB.
• Michael Cleary led the Dayton bats with two hits and two RBI.
• Mitchell Garrity returned to the lineup after missing the previous five starts with an injury and hit a leadoff single down the right field line.
• Connor Wilson had a pinch hit single in the ninth inning and reached scoring position as the game-tying run following a stolen base, but was unable to be driven in.