DAYTON - The University of Dayton softball team is bound for the northeast for a weekend conference series at Rhode Island. The Flyers and Rams are scheduled for a three-game set at URI Softball Complex April 15-16 and admission is free. All three games will be available to follow via live stats at Statbroadcast.com and to stream via ESPN+.

ABOUT DAYTON
Dayton (23-13, 9-2 A-10) is coming off a doubleheader sweep of St. Bonaventure on Wednesday, including a record-breaking five-inning 23-0 win over the Bonnies in the nightcap. The Flyers, winners of four straight and eight of their last nine games, are in first place in Atlantic 10 team standings. Sophomore Emma Schutter carries the team's best batting average of .454 (13th NCAA) as one of six Flyers hitting above .300. She has tallied 54 hits (11th NCAA) and recorded 24 stolen bases (16th NCAA). In the circle, freshman Izzy Kemp (9-5) boasts a 1.36 ERA (26th NCAA) with 133 strikeouts (2nd A-10) and seven complete games over 97.2 innings pitched.

SCOUTING RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island (16-20, 6-5 A-10) had its five-game winning streak snapped Wednesday after dropping the second half of its home doubleheader against Stonehill. The Rams' offense is paced by Skyler Rapuano with a .333 average, Elana Gonzalez with 29 hits and Becca Zawistowski with 14 RBI. URI's pitching corps is led by Katie Zaun (7-9) with a 2.91 ERA and two saves while Liz Lynchard (7-6) with a 3.56 ERA, 101 strikeouts (5th A-10) and six complete games.

SERIES STUFF
Dayton Leads: 32-21-1
Last meeting: March 17, 2022
In 2022, Dayton and Rhode Island played a three-game A-10 series in Kingston with the Flyers taking two of the three contests.

RPI RANKINGS
In the NCAA's Rating Percentage Index (RPI) for games through April 12, Dayton came in at 136 according to NCAA.com. Rhode Island was ranked 226.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
After 36 games in 2023, the Flyers are 65-and-76 in stolen bases led by sophomore Emma Schutter (24 - 1st A-10, 16th NCAA) senior Emily Daniel (21 - 3rd A-10). The team's 63 stolen bases on the season ranks second in the Atlantic 10 and the squad's 1.81 stolen bases per game ranks 37th in all of NCAA DI.

#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 368 wins at UD.
Notable - coach Clark-LaPlaca currently has 499 overall career wins as a head coach.

THREE STRIKES YOU'RE OUT
Over 97.2 innings pitched in 24 appearances for the Flyers, freshman right-handed pitcher Izzy Kemp currently ranks second in the Atlantic 10 with 133 total strikeouts and second in the league with 32 batters struck out looking. Her average of 9.5 strikeouts per seven innings ranks 26th nationally.

BRING ME HOME
Graduate student Alyssa Cacini and senior Kaelene Walter lead the team and are tied for fourth in the conference with 26 RBI on the season. For her career, Cacini has knocked in a total of 118 runs which currently ranks fourth all-time in program history. Former Flyer Abby Ehrenborg holds the all-time record with 134 career RBI.

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 third place all-time with 47 career stolen bases while Daniel, who spent her freshman season (2020) at Wright State, is in sixth place with 45 career stolen bases for the Flyers. Molly Meyer (2007-10) holds the program record with 66.

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