DAYTON – The University of Dayton scored nine runs in the bottom of the first inning in an 18-7 victory over Akron on Tuesday afternoon at Woerner Field.
 
The Flyers improve to 9-15 on the season in a game in which all nine starters got a base hit. Senior Mitchell Garrity was hit by three pitches, the first of which put him in sole possession of the program record for career hit by pitches. That was the 49^th time that Garrity had been hit in his career, passing Cole Tyrell for first in program history.
 
Junior Benjamin Blackwell went 3-6 with two home runs, both of which came in the first inning of the game. His first big fly went out to left center field and the second was an inside-the-park home run on a ball that ricocheted off the center field wall. Graduate student Chris Cabrera also had a big game, going 3-4 with four RBIs in the contest.
 
ON THE MOUND
Sophomore Anthony Hattrup started the game for the Flyers, going the first 3.2 innings on the mound allowing two earned runs on five hits and striking out four Zips. He was relieved by sophomore Nick Wissman, who would go the next 2.2 innings, also allowing two earned runs and striking out four.
 
Junior Jake Silverstein entered from left field in relief, pitching 1.2 innings without allowing a hit and picking up three strikeouts. Freshman Parker Bard finished the game for the Flyers, throwing a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout.
 
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 1: (9-0 Flyers)
Blackwell started off the scoring for the Flyers with his first home run of the inning, the first of his career to give Dayton a 1-0 lead. Junior Marcos Pujols singled and senior Riley Tirotta was hit by a pitch to put two on, and with two outs the scoring onslaught began. Graduate student Eddie Pursinger singled to right field bringing Pujols around to score and Cabrera followed with an RBI double, clearing the bases and making it a 4-0 lead.
 
Junior Jay Curtis walked and Garrity tripled to center field, scoring two more runs and completing the cycle for Dayton in the first inning. Senior Mariano Ricciardi brought Garrity home with a double to left center field to make it 7-0 and Blackwell's inside-the-park home run made it a nine-run first inning for Dayton.
 
Top 2: (9-2 Flyers)
A hit by pitch was followed by a two-run home run to cut Dayton's lead to seven.
 
Bottom 2: (10-2 Flyers)
Graduate student Alex Brickman led off the inning with a hit by pitch. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, to third on a Cabrera single and Curtis brought him home with a sacrifice fly to left field.
 
Bottom 3: (15-2 Flyers)
Ricciardi walked and Blackwell was hit by a pitch. Pujols singled past the shortstop to load the bases before a walk to Tirotta made it 11-2. Pursinger reached on a fielder's choice, bringing home another run and after stealing second, another RBI base hit from Cabrera brought home two runs making it 14-2. Curtis and Garrity were hit by pitches and Ricciardi finished the scoring for the inning with a single to right field.
 
Top 4: (15-5 Flyers)
A single to right field opened the inning and after an out, back-to-back singles loaded the bases. An error brought two runs home and put two on base and after a single loaded the bases, Hattrup struck out the next hitter, but a wild pitch brought home a fifth run of the game.
 
Bottom 4: (16-5 Flyers)
Tirotta walked with one out and Brickman brought him in to score with a double down the left field line.
 
Top 5: (16-6 Flyers)
A one-out double followed by a fly ball to right field advanced the runner to third. A wild pitch brought home the sixth run of the game for Akron.
 
Bottom 6: (18-6 Flyers)
Tirotta got a one-out single and walks to Brickman and Pursinger loaded the bases. Silverstein singled over the third baseman's head to bring home two more runs and extend UD's lead to 12 runs.
 
Top 7: (18-7 Flyers)
A one-out walk was followed by an RBI double for the Zips to give the game its final score of 18-7.
 
UP NEXT
The Flyers will head to Cincinnati on Thursday for the first of a four-game series with Xavier. Dayton will take on the Musketeers on Thursday and Friday at 3 p.m. at Xavier before returning home for a doubleheader on Saturday at Woerner Field beginning at 12 p.m.