DAYTON – The University of Dayton baseball team split its series-opening doubleheader with South Dakota State on Friday, falling in game one 8-5 before a 15-5, mercy-rule victory in game two at Woerner Field at AES Ohio Stadium. 

Game 1 - South Dakota State 8, Dayton 5
The Flyers trailed going into the bottom of the third 1-0, but answered with an RBI single in the from junior Mason Dobie. The Jackrabbits countered with a three-run home run in the fourth before a bases-loaded walk for UD made it a two-run game.

SDSU extended its lead in the fifth with a single run, making it three straight scoring innings for the visitors. Dayton struck again with an RBI groundout and a solo home run by junior David Pedanou in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 5-4 ball game.

After two scoreless innings, the Jackrabbits scored three more in the top of the eighth to take control of the game. The Flyers managed to get a single run in the bottom of the eighth on a solo home run by Carlos Castillo, but it was not enough to catch South Dakota St. 

Chris Peguero pitched seven innings for Dayton with eight strikeouts and no walks. 

Game 2 - Dayton 15, South Dakota State
The Flyers rode an offensive explosion in game two to a 15-5, eight-inning victory over the Jackrabbits.

When the fateful seventh inning began the score was tied 4-4 and SDSU took a brief lead, plating a run to go ahead 5-4. Dayton responded by sending 13 batters to the plate, scoring eight runs on six walks, three hits and a hit-by-pitch. When the dust settled in the inning, UD held a 12-5 advantage.

The FlyBoys ended the game early with a three-run eighth, as Mendez laced a two-run double to left to end it.

South Dakota State got out to an early lead with an RBI single in the top of the first, but Dayton answered in the bottom of the second with an RBI single by Dobie and a two-run single up the middle by freshman cleanup batter David Mendez, making it a 3-1 UD lead.

South Dakota State tied the game up with two runs in the fourth, but Dayton responded once again, scoring on a wild pitch. The Jackrabbits tied the game up at 4-4 though with a run in the top of the sixth.

The Flyers got some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth with a sac fly from Dobie, his second RBI of the game. Mendez finished off the game with a two-run double to left, making it 15-5. The game ended due to mercy rule.

Freshman Connor Fennell got the starting nod for Dayton, went five innings, and was responsible for four runs. After senior Eli Majick tossed 1.1 innings, fellow senior Nick Wissman finished the game's final 1.2 to earn his second victory of the season.

BY THE NUMBERS
21 - walks in the two games for the FlyBoys hitters, including 12 in game two
15 - runs scored in game two is the most for the Flyers in a game this season. 
8 - strikeouts by pitcher Chris Peguero, just one shy of a season-high 
6 - Six different Flyers had at least one RBI on the day. 
6 - Ivan Arias reached base six times in game two. 
4 - David Mendez set a new career-high with four RBI in game two
2 - two-hit games for David Pedanou, who went 2-for-4 in game one and 2-for-3 in game two
2 - walks for Dayton's pitching staff on the entire day

UP NEXT
Dayton is scheduled to finish its series against South Dakota State this Sunday, March 10 with a doubleheader starting at noon.