DAYTON - The University of Dayton softball team will play host to Ohio State Wednesday for a mid-week non-conference contest. The Flyers and Buckeyes are set to square off at UD Softball Stadium March 29 with first pitch slated for 3:02 p.m. and admission is free.

Follow the action via live stats at Statbroadcast.com and the game will also be available to stream on ESPN+.

ABOUT DAYTON
Dayton (15-11) opened the Atlantic 10 portion of its 2023 schedule with a 2-1 weekend against Massachusetts at home March 25-26 and the Flyers went 4-1 on the week. Sophomore Maddie Kapsimalis carries the team's best average (.490 - 1st A-10, 10th NCAA) and is riding a team-best nine-game hitting streak. Sophomore Emma Schutter has recorded 39 hits (1st A-10) and 20 stolen bases (t-1st A-10) while graduate student Alyssa Cacini leads the team with five home runs (t-2nd A-10). Freshman Izzy Kemp (6-4) boasts the team's low ERA of 1.04 (1st A-10, 13th NCAA) and she has collected 101 strikeouts (1st A-10).

SCOUTING OHIO STATE
Ohio State (20-8) is coming off a 3-1 week at home including picking up a 2-1 Big Ten series win over Michigan. The Buckeyes have seven players hitting at .300 or above led by Melina Wilkison (.407) with 37 hits, 25 RBI, 23 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. In the circle, Allison Smith (10-4) leads the OSU pitching corps with a 2.19 ERA and 126 strikeouts over 96.0 innings pitched.  

SERIES STUFF
Ohio State Leads: 13-2
Last meeting: April 13, 2016
Wednesday will be the first time Ohio State has played in Dayton since 2004. The last time the Flyers and Buckeyes matched up, OSU claimed a 1-0 win over UD in Columbus.

RPI RANKINGS
In the NCAA's Rating Percentage Index (RPI) for games through March 27, Dayton came in at 155 according to NCAA.com. Ohio State was ranked 34.

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 26 games in 2023, the Flyers are 53-and-63 in stolen bases led by sophomore Emma Schutter (20 - t-1st A-10, 13th NCAA) senior Emily Daniel (17 - 3rd A-10). The 53 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 360 wins at UD. Notable - coach Clark-LaPlaca currently has 491 overall career wins as a head coach.

THREE STRIKES YOU'RE OUT
Over 74.0 innings pitched in 18 appearances for the Flyers, freshman right-handed pitcher Izzy Kemp currently ranks first in the Atlantic 10 with 101 total strikeouts and first in the league with 27 batters struck out looking. Her average of 9.6 strikeouts per seven innings ranks 29th nationally.

CAREER CRIMINALS
Senior Emily Daniel and sophomore Emma Schutter have moved into Dayton's top 10 all-time stolen bases list this season. Schutter is now in fifth place all-time with 43 career stolen bases while Daniel, who spent her freshman season (2020) at Wright State, is tied with Kyle Davidson (2016-19) for sixth place with 41 career stolen bases for the Flyers. Molly Meyer (2007-10) holds the program record with 66.

A-10 ACCOLADES
Sophomore Maddie Kapsimalis and freshman Izzy Kemp claimed Atlantic 10 Conference weekly honors March 27 as Kapsimalis was named Player of the Week and Kemp was named Rookie of the Week. Both also earned mention on NCFA's Selected Top Performances on March 28.

FOLLOW #UDSB
Follow the Flyers on Twitter: @FlyerSoftball, Facebook: Dayton Flyers Softball and Instagram daytonflyersoftball