DAYTON - The University of Dayton softball team will close out the week with a three-game Atlantic 10 series at Saint Joseph's April 29-30. The Flyers and Hawks will play two games Saturday followed by a single game Sunday with first pitch set for 12 p.m. both days. Saturday's doubleheader will be available to stream via ESPN3 and fans can follow along via live stats for all three games.

ABOUT DAYTON
Dayton (32-14, 14-3 A-10) has won three straight and 13 of its last 14 games including sweeps of two of its last three Atlantic 10 series. The Flyers, who are in first place in league standings, have six every day players hitting above .300 led by sophomore Emma Schutter with a .474 average (5th NCAA), 72 hits (4th NCAA), 39 runs scored and 27 stolen bases (23rd NCAA). Freshman Izzy Kemp (11-5) paces the Dayton pitching corps with a 1.63 ERA, 165 strikeouts, eight complete games and five saves over 120.0 innings pitched.

SCOUTING SAINT JOSEPH'S    
Saint Joseph's (15-27, 6-13 A-10) dropped a 13-3 decision to visiting Lehigh in a midweek non-conference game at SJU Softball Field Wednesday in the middle of its 10-game home stand. The Hawks' offense is led by Kaelin Cash (.368 - 5th A-10) with 43 hits, 29 RBI, 20 walks and 12 home runs (1st A-10). In the circle, Emily Siler (8-12) carries the team's low ERA of 2.87 and has collected a team-high 120 strikeouts with 11 complete games and three saves (t-2nd A-10) over 139.0 innings of work.

SERIES STUFF
Saint Joseph's Leads: 31-23-1
Last meeting: May 13, 2022
In two games at home last season against Saint Joseph's, Dayton came up on the losing end of 7-3 and 7-4 decisions. In the 2022 A-10 Championship, the Flyers eliminated the third-seeded Hawks, 3-1, on day three of the tournament.  

RPI RANKINGS
In the NCAA's Rating Percentage Index (RPI) for games through April 27, Dayton came in at 113 according to NCAA.com. Saint Joseph's was ranked 216.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
After 46 games in 2023, the Flyers are 80-and-92 in stolen bases led by sophomore Emma Schutter (27 - 1st A-10, 23rd NCAA) senior Emily Daniel (26 - 3rd A-10, 25th NCAA). The team's 80 stolen bases on the season is a new program single-season record and the squad's 1.74 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 377 wins at UD.
Notable - coach Clark-LaPlaca currently has 508 career wins over 22 seasons as a head coach.

THREE STRIKES YOU'RE OUT
Over 120.0 innings pitched in 29 appearances for the Flyers, freshman right-handed pitcher Izzy Kemp currently ranks second in the Atlantic 10 with 165 total strikeouts and second in the league with 40 batters struck out looking. Her average of 9.6 strikeouts per seven innings ranks 21st nationally.

NFCA/TUCCI DI FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR TOP 25 LIST
First-year pitcher Izzy Kemp has been named to the 2023 TUCCI/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25 list as announced by the NFCA Friday. Kemp (11-5), a three-time Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week, leads the team with a 1.63 ERA, 165 strikeouts, eight complete games and five saves over 120.0 innings pitched this season. This is the second-consecutive year a Flyer has been mentioned on this national list of top freshmen. Emma Schutter was named to the 2022 list.

BRING ME HOME
Graduate student Alyssa Cacini leads the team and ranks fifth in the conference with 32 RBI on the season. For her career, Cacini has knocked in a total of 124 runs which currently ranks third all-time in program history. Former Flyer Abby Ehrenborg holds the all-time record with 134 career RBI.

TEAM SAVES
Three Flyer pitchers have combined for 11 saves on the season, setting a new program single-season saves record.
Izzy Kemp  5
Sarah Bailitz  3
Haven Dwyer  3

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, and Schutter are tied for second place all-time with 50 career stolen bases. Molly Meyer (2007-10) holds the program record with 66.

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