DAYTON - After having its season cut short in 2020, the University of Dayton softball team bounced back in 2021 and earned the program's eighth-consecutive and 12th overall appearance in the Atlantic 10 Championship. The Flyers, the lowest-seeded team, battled its way into the title game for only the second time in school history (2015) but fell to regular season champ George Washington.

Also for the first time since 2015, Dayton placed three players onto NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region Teams as senior Abby Ehrenborg and freshman Megan Ward were voted to the Second Team while junior Alyssa Cacini earned Third Team honors. The Flyers also excelled in the classroom, placing 18 on the 2020-21 Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll.

Dayton got two games in on opening day, Feb. 12, but had its next five contests canceled due to weather. UD returned to action at the Bellarmine Classic March 6-7, winning three out of four. Bowling Green squeaked out a 6-5 win over Dayton in its home opener on March 10 before the second game was called due to darkness. The Flyers spent the next seven games on the road, including a doubleheader at No. 9/10 Kentucky on March 20.

The Flyers enjoyed a seven-game homestand March 21-27, going 5-2 including opening Atlantic 10 Conference play with a four-game sweep of St. Bonaventure. The following weekend, Dayton and Saint Louis split a four-game conference set and on April 7, UD dropped two at home to visiting Morehead State.

Up next was a four-game set at league-leader George Washington April 10-11. Although the Flyers dropped four to the Colonials, Dayton got its spark back with four wins over George Mason at home April 17-18. UD split its series at SBU, April 30-May 1 and then got in two wins at Saint Louis May 8 before the series was canceled due to weather. With those last two wins, Dayton earned a spot in the 2021 A-10 Championship!

As the final team in, Dayton was the No. 4 seed for the tournament and faced off against No. 1 George Washington in the first game of the championship. Ward's two-RBI triple in the second inning proved to be all the offense the Flyers needed as UD blanked GW, 2-0, marking the first time all season the Colonials had been shutout by a conference opponent. In game two, Dayton sailed past third-seeded Fordham, 7-1, on the strength of freshman Taylor Erschen's three-RBI double in the third inning.

On Championship Saturday, Dayton forced extra innings with George Washington when Ehrenborg tied the game in the top of the seventh with her two-RBI single. Unfortunately, the Colonials plated a run in the bottom of the ninth to force a game two. Dayton fell behind 4-0 and wasn't able to overcome the deficit. George Washington claimed the 7-2 win and the 2021 A-10 Title.  Five Flyers were honored on the All-Championship team: Sarah Bailitz, Addy Bullis, Cacini, Ehrenborg and Ward.

AWARDS AND HONORS
Addy Bullis - A-10 All-Championship Team, A-10 All-Conference Second Team, A-10 All-Rookie Team
Alyssa Cacini - NFCA Mid-Atlantic Third-Team, A-10 All-Championship Team, A-10 All-Conference First Team
Abby Ehrenborg - NFCA Mid-Atlantic Second Team, A-10 All-Championship Team, Dayton career record holder for home runs (44), RBI (134) and slugging percentage (.673)
Megan Ward - NFCA Mid-Atlantic Second Team, A-10 All-Championship Team, A-10 All-Conference Second Team, A-10 All-Rookie Team

THANK YOU SENIORS!
The University of Dayton and Division of Athletics would like to extend a huge thank you to the senior team members on the 2021 softball team: Briley Sidor, Morgan Mateja, Abby Ehrenborg and Olivia Lessmann along with senior manager Ally Dudek. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the program and best wishes to you in your future endeavors.