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Senior shortstop Brian Blasik is one stolen base away from owning Dayton's career record. |
Game 53: Dayton at Ohio,
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Location: Athens, Ohio
Venue: Bob Wren Stadium
Live Coverage: OhioBobcats.com
Games 54-56: Dayton at La Salle (Thursday-Saturday)
Series Preview
• Dayton plays its final non-conference game of the regular season in a 6 p.m. ET first pitch at Ohio on Tuesday. The Flyers are 2-11 in mid-week games and 12-15 in road games this season.
• It will be the 61st meeting between the Ohio schools, with the Bobcats owning a 49-11 series advantage. Last season Ohio defeated Dayton 10-3 in Athens.
• Over the weekend, Dayton swept UMass to clinch a spot in the A-10 Championship and remain in contention for a share of the regular season title and a first-round tournament bye.
• Sophomore left-handed pitcher Tommy Konrad will make the start for UD Tuesday. Konrad is coming off the longest outing of his young career – six innings with six strikeouts – in a relief appearance against Eastern Kentucky last week. Tuesday will be Konrad’s fourth start of the season. The St. Charles, Ill., native has a 6.19 earned run average and 3-3 record.
• The Bobcats will counter with another lefty on Tuesday, sending junior Tyler Backstrom to the mound. Backstrom, who will also be making his fourth start of the season, has a 7.03 earned run average and 0-4 record.
Dayton at a Glance
Record: 25-27, 14-7 Atlantic 10
Coach: Tony Vittorio (367-353, 13th season)
Team B.A. / ERA: .298 / 5.05
• The Flyers’ conference-leading offense is led by a trio of play who respectively rank top 10 in the nation in runs batted in, runs scored and stolen bases. Senior centerfielder Bobby Glover ranks 10th in runs scored (57), senior outfielder C.J. Gillman ranks seventh in RBI (59) and senior shortstop Brian Blasik ranks 5th in stolen bases (34). All three seniors have started every game for UD this season.
• As a team, UD leads the nation in stolen bases (152) and stolen bases per game (2.92). Last weekend Blasik stole seven bags to tie Dayton’s career record of 63, also held by Michael Massa (2004-07). The Flyers have only been caught stealing 28 times for a success rate of 84.4 percent.
• Dayton leads the A-10 in batting average (.298), runs scored (330), hits (556), runs batted in (299), stolen bases (152) and total bases (756).
• Gillman has started in 111 consecutive games in five different positions (1B, 2B, 3B, LF, RF).
• Senior right-handed pitchers Burny Mitchem and Hauschild both rank in the top three in career strikeouts at Dayton. Mitchem (304) ranks first and Hauschild (252) ranks third. Cameron Hobson, an 11th-round MLB Draft pick in 2011, ranks second with 256.
• Head Coach Tony Vittorio won his 350th game at Dayton on March 24 against Saint Bonaventure. Vittorio is 367-353 in his 13th season at UD and 590-551 in his 20th season overall.
• Tuesday marks the start of a road swing that will continue to Philadelphia to play La Salle this weekend and end at the A-10 Championships in New York next week.
Ohio at a Glance
Record: 26-25, 15-9 MAC
Coach: Joe Carbone (687-607-2, 24th Season)
Team BA / ERA: .285 / 3.70
• The Bobcats are 26-25 and 15-9 in Mid-American Conference play – ranked second in the East Division standings. OU was picked to finish fourth in the East after posting a 27-27 overall record and 11-16 conference record last season.
• OU is coming off its third conference series sweep of the season, defeating Akron in three one-run games last weekend.
• First baseman Jake Madsen and outfielder Ethan Newton lead the Bobcats with 70 hits, respectively. Newton has 23 of OU’s 45 stolen bases, needing just one more to become Ohio’s career steals leader.
• Outfielder Jensen Painter leads OU with 40 RBI and a .537 slugging percentage (12 HR, 12 2B).
• Ohio’s 3.70 earned run average leads the MAC. Without its three weekend starting pitchers whom the Flyers most-likely will not face on Tuesday – Jason Moulton (2.21), Brent Choban (2.66) and Seth Streich (4.06) – the Bobcats have a 4.57 ERA.
• Head Coach Joe Carbone is 687-607-2 in his 24th season in Athens.
National Weather Service Forecast – Athens, Ohio
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51 degrees. North wind 3 to 7 mph.
