DAYTON – The University of Dayton baseball team used a seven-run eighth inning to defeat Richmond 13-8 on Saturday, securing a series win against the Spiders. Junior Ben Jones drove in the go-ahead runs for the Flyers with a two-run single in the eighth to lift the Flyers for the win.
 
The Flyers picked up 16 hits on the afternoon, with three hits each from graduate student Henry Strmecki and seniors Marcos Pujols and Jake Silverstein. Junior Omar Daniels led the way with three RBIs, going 2-for-3 on the day as well.
 
With the win, the Flyers improve to 22-24 on the season and 9-11 in Atlantic 10 play. Richmond falls to 23-23, 8-12 against conference opponents.
 
ON THE MOUND
Junior Mark Manfredi started the game for the Flyers, going the first six innings and allowing just three earned runs on five hits, striking out five. This marks the seventh time this season Manfredi has tallied a quality start, going at least six innings in each of his last four outings.
 
Sophomore Eli Majick entered in the seventh, going the next 1.1 innings and allowing on unearned run on two hits and a pair of strikeouts. Junior Nick Wissman relieved Majick in the eighth, also allowing one unearned run before giving way to graduate student Nick Meyer.
 
Meyer would get the next out, allowing two unearned runs on the afternoon. Graduate student Andrew Zapka entered in the ninth, closing the door and getting the final three outs in his first appearance since April 19.
 
SCORING PLAYS
Bottom 1: (1-0 Flyers)
Junior Keagan Calero led off the first inning with a walk and Pujols moved him into scoring position with a base hit to center field. Strmecki was hit by a pitch to load the bases and the Flyers took a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly from junior Alex Neff.
 
Top 2: (1-1 Tie)
Manfredi retired the first batter of the inning, but a home run to left field tied the game at one.
 
Bottom 2: (3-1 Flyers)
Freshman Matt Maloney walked to lead off the second and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Silverstein brought him in to score with a double to left center to give Dayton a 2-1 lead. Two batters later, Calero replaced him on second with a double of his own to put the Flyers up two runs.
 
Top 6: (3-3 Tie)
Manfredi again retired the leadoff hitter but a base hit followed later by a two-run home run would tie the game for the second time.
 
Bottom 6: (6-3 Flyers)
Silverstein led off the inning with a base hit and a walk by Daniels put two on with no outs. Calero moved both runners with a sacrifice bunt and Pujols gave the Flyers the lead back with a single to right field, scoring two and putting Dayton up 5-3. Strmecki would reach on a fielder's choice and advance to second on a balk. Neff walked and senior Jay Curtis singled to left, scoring Strmecki and extending the lead to three.
 
Top 8: (7-6 Spiders)
Richmond led off the eighth with a base hit. The runner would move to second on a throwing error on a pickoff and an infield single would put two runners on. A groundout put both runners in scoring position and a double would cut the lead to one. A walk again put two on and a fielding error on Pujols would load the bases. A base hit to right field would score two runs and put Dayton down 7-6.
 
Bottom 8: (13-7 Flyers)
Pujols led off the eighth with a double and sophomore Anthony Steinhardt would enter as a pinch runner. Steinhardt would advance to third on a bloop single by Strmecki, who made it to second on the throw. Two batters later Richmond intentionally walked Curtis and Jones entered as a pinch hitter, sending the 1-1 pitch to left-center scoring two and giving Dayton the lead. Both would move into scoring position on a wild pitch and a walk by Maloney again loaded the bases. Freshman David Pedanou entered as a pinch runner for Jones and Silverstein walked in a run, extending the lead to 9-7. Daniels would clear the bases with a double down the left field line and two batters later, redshirt freshman Andrew Casey would bring him in with a pinch-hit single to left.
 
Top 9: (13-8 Flyers)
The Spiders led off the inning with back-to-back singles, with both advancing a base on an error. A sacrifice fly to left field cut the Dayton lead to 13-8, but Zapka would retire the next two batters, finishing the win.
 
UP NEXT
The Flyers will return on Sunday for the series finale, the final home game of the season at noon at Woerner Field at AES Ohio Stadium.