DAYTON - The University of Dayton softball team will return to action on Tuesday with two games at Northern Kentucky. The Flyers and Norse are set to square off March 21 at 2 p.m. for a doubleheader at NKU's Frank Ignatius Grein Field in Highland Heights, Kentucky.

Live stats will be available for both games via NKUNorse.com. Admission is free.

ABOUT DAYTON
Dayton (11-10) opened the home portion of its 2023 schedule last Thursday with a doubleheader against Bellarmine as the Flyers claimed two five-inning wins over the Knights. UD's Atlantic 10 season opener against Fordham, scheduled for March 18-19 in Dayton, was postponed due to low temperatures in the area. Sophomore Emma Schutter paces the Flyer offense with a .463 average (20th NCAA, 1st A-10), 31 hits (3rd A-10) and 14 runs scored (7th A-10) to go with 13 stolen bases (2nd A-10). In the circle for UD, freshman Izzy Kemp (4-3) carries the team's low ERA of 1.17 (24th NCAA, 2nd A-10) while striking out 72 batters (3rd A-10), including 22 looking (2nd A-10), over 53.2 innings of work (7th A-10).

SCOUTING NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Northern Kentucky (7-15) claimed two wins over Green Bay Thursday as it opened Horizon League action at home. Friday's series finale against the Phoenix was cancelled. The Norse are led offensively by Ella LeMonier with a .356 average, 26 hits, 16 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. NKU's pitching corps is led by Lauryn Hicks (1-4) with the team's low ERA of 2.67 while Alicia Flores (4-6) has tallied 44 strikeouts over 61.1 innings of work.

SERIES STUFF
Dayton Leads: 15-12
Last meeting: March 29, 2022
Northern Kentucky traveled to Dayton last season for a single game at UD Softball Stadium. The Norse picked up a 4-2 win over the Flyers.

RPI RANKINGS
In the NCAA's Rating Percentage Index (RPI) for games through March 19, Dayton came in at 164 according to NCAA.com. Northern Kentucky was ranked 201.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
As a team, Dayton was 63-for-74 in stolen bases as a team in 2022 - the 63 stolen bases ranked second in the Atlantic 10. After 21 games in 2023, the Flyers are 40-for-45 in stolen bases led by senior Emily Daniel (16 - 25th NCAA, 1st A-10) and sophomore Emma Schutter (13 - 2nd A-10). The 40 team stolen bases on the season ranks second in the Atlantic 10.

#WINNING
Dayton head coach Cara Clark-LaPlaca tallied her 233rd career win at UD on April 15, 2017 at La Salle, surpassing former Flyer head coach Jodi Eickemeyer as Dayton's all-time winningest coach. She now has 356 wins at UD. Notable - coach Clark-LaPlaca currently has 487 overall career wins as a head coach.

THREE STRIKES YOU'RE OUT
Over 53.2 innings pitched in 14 appearances for the Flyers, freshman right-handed pitcher Izzy Kemp currently ranks third in the Atlantic 10 with 72 total strikeouts and second in the league with 22 batters struck out looking. Her average of 9.4 strikeouts per seven innings ranks 35th nationally.

CAREER CRIMINALS
Senior Emily Daniel and sophomore Emma Schutter have moved into Dayton's top 10 all-time stolen bases list this season. Daniel, who spent her freshman season (2020) at Wright State, is tied for sixth place with Briley Sidor (2018-21) with 40 career stolen bases while Schutter is in seventh place all time with 36.

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