DAYTON - The University of Dayton baseball team hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to Nashville to take on No. 6 Vanderbilt on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at Hawkins Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET and will air on SEC Network+.

THE SEASON STARTS IN DAYTON
- Not only did Dayton open the 2024 season in the Gem City for the first time since the 1998 campaign, but it was one of three games to start the season at 10 a.m. on the first day of the season.  According to expert research, the Flyers plated the first run in college baseball courtesy of a second inning RBI double from freshman Ryan MacDougall.

MACDOUGALL MAKES HIS MARK
- Freshman DH/catcher Ryan MacDougall performed like a seasoned veteran in his collegiate debut against Lindenwood this weekend, finishing with five hits, five RBI, two runs scored, two steals, a double and his first career home run against the Lions. The Taunton, Mass. native made a loud debut on Opening Day, driving in Dayton's first run of the season in his first at-bat with an RBI double. He'd later drive in the clutch game-tying run an at-bat later.
- After a one-hit, two-RBI performance in the second game of the series with the Lions, MacDougall cracked his first career home run in the series finale. In total, the freshman hit .417 (5-for-12) on the weekend.

WISSMAN SLAMS THE DOOR
- Senior reliever Nick Wissman was dominant in his closer role against Lindenwood opening weekend, turning in two multi-inning outings to pick up a pair of saves. In his first appearance, the sidearmer stranded a man aboard in the eighth before slamming the door with a perfect ninth. In his second, the Dayton, Ohio native came in with two aboard in the eighth, escaped the jam, and once again turned in a 1-2-3 ninth.
- It marked the first successful back-to-back, multi-inning saves since the 2022 season when former Flyer Nick Meyer accomplished the feat against Purdue Fort Wayne and Saint Louis.

PEGUERO'S STELLAR DEBUT
- Redshirt junior Chris Peguero was sharp in his #FlyBoys debut in 2024, throwing four innings and allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out a career-best nine hitters.

MR. ON-BASE - PAXTON TOMAINI 
- Senior Paxton Tomaini's second season with the FlyBoys picked up where his junior campaign finished - being an on-base machine.
    The Tallahasee, Fla. native hit .500 (4-for-8) opening weekend and turned in a .667 OBP thank to two walks and two HBP. 

SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
 - Vanderbilt is 2-1 on the young season after winning their opening series with FAU.
 - The VandyBoys' offense saw big weekends from Jonathan Vastine and RJ Austin to start the season. Vastine hit .455 with a homer, two doubles and six RBI, while Austin hit .417 with a home run, a double, five RBI, four runs and two steals.
- On the pitching side, the Commodores hold a 5.67 ERA through the first three games, striking out 29 batters while walking 13. Vanderbilt surrendered one home run to the Owls over the weekend, and limited FAU to a meager .220 batting average.

TAKING ON THE BEST 
- The FlyBoys under Jayson King have not shied away from a tough non-conference schedule, and this week is the ultimate example. UD starts its week with a trip to two-time national champion and No. 6-ranked Vanderbilt, and then travels to consensus No. 1 Wake Forest this weekend.
    
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