March 5, 2005

Box Score

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Dayton could not overcome six fielding errors as the Flyer baseball team lost to Akron on Saturday, 6-5 in a non-conference game played at Bush Stadium on the campus of Tennessee Tech University.

UD (5-4) surrendered six unearned runs on the day and lost despite out hitting UA (4-5) 12 to 7.

Junior Bryan Chandler had his best day at the plate of the season for the Flyers. The outfielder was 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored. He was also hit by a pitch and executed a successful sacrifice bunt.

Junior William Benoit and sophomore Michael Massa had two hits a piece for Dayton.

Benoit increased his hitting streak to nine-games and remains the only Flyer to hit safely in every game this season. He also scored and run and drove in another.

Massa was 2-for-4 on the day and has now hit safely in five straight games along with senior Brandon Godzik who finished 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Sophomore Kyle Lindsay took the loss for the Flyers in relief after surrendering an unearned run on two hits over 3.0 innings pitched. He struck out five while walking two in the game.

Junior righthander Craig Stammen got the start for UD on the mound and earned a no-decision after allowing five unearned runs on four hits over 5.0 innings pitched. He struck out two batters and is tied for the team lead in strikeouts with 15.

The Zips took advantage of three Flyer errors in the second inning to score three unearned runs. Akron used a two-out RBI single over the head of the second baseman and a two-RBI single to left field to take a 3-0 advantage.

Dayton got one back in the third to cut the deficit to two runs. Aaron Hepner led off with a double past a diving UA centerfielder in right centerfield. He advanced to third on a single by Massa to put runners on first and second with no outs. Getty struck out swinging and on the pitch Massa was stuck in a run-down between first and second. Massa was out on the play, but delayed the Akron defense long enough to allow Hepner to reach the plate and cut the Zips' lead to 3-1.

The Flyers took a one-run lead in the fourth with three runs on five hits. After Godzik and Joe McSoley began the frame with a pair of singles, UD had runners on first and third with no outs. Benoit picked up his seventh RBI of the season with a single to left field and Massa advanced to second on the play. Chandler moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt and Craig Rohren drove them in with a two-RBI blast off the left centerfield wall. The junior, who collected his second and third RBI of the season in the inning, moved up to second base as Hepner drew a walk. Then when Massa poked a single to shallow left centerfield, Rohren tried to extend the Flyer lead further but was thrown out at the plate by the UA centerfielder. The play slowed down UD's rally, but Dayton still held a 4-3 lead midway through the fourth inning.

Akron jumped back ahead by a run in the bottom of the fourth on another two unearned runs off a pair of Flyer errors. With runners on second and third and two outs, a single up the middle gave the Zips a 5-4 lead on their fourth and fifth unearned runs of the day.

UD responded to even the score at 5-all in its next trip to the plate. Chandler led off with a double to right centerfield after Rohren walked and Massa was hit by a pitch, Chandler was on third with the bases loaded and two outs. Galen Schumm delivered for Dayton as he lifted a single to left field. His fifth RBI of the season evened the score at 5-5 midway through the sixth inning.

Akron took advantage of another error in the bottom of the eighth to go ahead 6-5. With one out, the Zips drew a walk and then the runner moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt as an errant throw by the UD pitcher went up the first base line. Two batters later, a bunt was pushed up the first base line to allow Akron to score the winning run.

Dayton returns to action in Cookeville Sunday with a Noon Eastern time contest against UNC Asheville.