Feb. 27, 2005

Box Score

MESA, Ariz. - For the second straight game, Dayton secured a come-from-behind win over #19/20 Notre Dame Sunday in a non-conference game at HoHoKam Park.

UD (5-3), who snapped a 11-game losing streak to Notre Dame (4-3) a day earlier, pounded out 17 hits on the day including a 4-for-6 performance by Joe McSoley. The sophomore team captain had two doubles to go along with a run scored and three RBI on the day for Dayton.

A pair of Flyers had three hits each on the day. Galen Schumm was 3-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI while Brandon Godzik was 3-for-5 with a solo home run and a walk to go along with two runs scored and two RBI.

Sophomore Michael Massa also went 2-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI from the leadoff spot for the Flyers.

Senior Kaleb Thompson earned the win in relief for Dayton. Thompson was the scheduled starter for UD, but came out of the bullpen after feeling ill earlier in the day. The lefty allowed three earned runs on eight hits over 4.0 innings pitched. He improved to 1-1 on the season after striking out one and walking just one on the day.

JC transfer Craig Rohren earned his first save as a Flyer after coming on in the ninth inning and fanning a batter before inducing a game-ending double play.

The scoring began in the bottom of the first as Notre Dame scored on an RBI single by Matt Edwards and an RBI groundout by Sean Gaston as the Irish took a 2-0 lead.

The next five Flyer batters were retired in order until Massa and Getty to give UD runners at first and third with two outs in the third inning. Schumm poked another single to right field to drive in Massa for Dayton's first run of the game. Godzik followed with a hard ground ball off the shoulder of the second baseman for another RBI single. McSoley and Benoit then hit RBI singles through the left and right side of the infield respectively to put Dayton ahead 4-3.

ND appeared ready to take the lead back from the Flyers in the bottom of the third as they loaded the bases with one out, but Ernst induced a ground ball to short which turned into UD's fourth double play of the season.

Notre Dame came back to finally tie the score at 4-all in the fourth as Greg Lopez led off with a single and then moved to second with two outs. Dressman then hit a sharp ball up the middle that was stopped with a diving play, but Dressman could not be retired and Lopez came home to knot the score at 4-4.

Dayton could the lead back quickly in the fifth as Godzik turned on a 2-1 pitch for a leadoff home run down the right field line. It was the first round tripper of the season and 10th of Godzik's UD career. The Flyers threatened to extend the lead further after Nick Ferralli put down a sacrifice bunt to give Dayton runners at second and third with one out, but the Flyers were stranded there and UD would hold a 5-4 lead midway through the fifth inning.

The Irish caused the fourth lead change of the game and third in as many at bats with another two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth inning. RBI singles by Lopez and Lilley gave Notre Dame a 6-5 lead before Thompson got a fly out to left field to end the inning with the bases loaded.

The lead seesawed again as Getty reached on a one-out error by ND and moved to third on a single by Schumm and a walk by Godzik. McSoley then smacked a single to right center to send home Getty and Godzik. McSoley's ninth and 10th RBI of the season put the Flyers ahead 7-6 after the top of the sixth inning.

Notre Dame claimed the lead again in the bottom of the frame with three unearned runs on an RBI fielder's choice from Cody Rizzo and an two-RBI single by Lopez to give the Irish a 9-7 lead.

Dayton got one back in the seventh as Presar was plunked with a pitch to start off the inning and came around to score on an RBI single by Massa. Presar scored his second run in as many days to cut the Notre Dame lead to 9-8.

The Flyers then scored for the fourth straight inning as they took an 11-9 lead. Presar sent in McSoley with the first run on a slow ground ball off the end of his bat to the right side of the infield. Freshman Jeff Mercer then drove in a pair with a pinch-hit single through the right side of a drawn in infield to send home Kevin Miller and Presar to put Dayton ahead by two midway through the eighth inning.

Notre Dame got one back in the bottom of the eighth as Lopez lifted a sacrifice fly to right field. Sean Gaston scored on the play to make the score 11-10 in favor of Dayton.

UD was held scoreless in the ninth as All-American closer Ryan Doherty retired the side while allowing just two base runners on a single by Godzik and an Irish fielding error. But Dayton withstood a threat from Notre Dame in the ninth as Craig Rohren came on to earn his first save as a Flyer with a game-ending 1-6-3 double play.

Dayton is scheduled to return to action Tuesday to open Time Warner Cable Stadium. The Flyers and Bowling Green are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. in a nine-inning contest.