March 7, 2006

Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS - Joe McSoley was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI to lead Dayton to a 7-6 victory at Butler on Tuesday in non-conference baseball action. The junior third baseman was just a triple shy of the cycle for the Flyers who evened their record to 5-5 on the year.

McSoley led a 10-hit effort for UD as freshman Max Navalinski and senior Roberto Ramos both added two hits a piece. Navalinski was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI while Ramos finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Senior catcher William Benoit added a 1-for-3 effort with a run scored and a RBI for Dayton, which has now won three of its last four games. He has now hit safely in eight of 10 games this season.

Junior Bobby Getty saw his eight-game hitting streak come to an end with an 0-for-2 day, but walked twice and was hit by a pitch. The leftfielder also stole a base and scored once on the afternoon.

The offense gave plenty of support to a solid pitching effort from Flyer starter Kyle Lindsay. The junior righty allowed three runs on four hits over seven innings pitched. Lindsay struck out four while surrendering just two walks for his first win of the season.

Freshman Sean Finn entered from the bullpen in the seventh inning and allowed two runs on a walk and a hit over one inning pitched.

Senior Craig Rohren earned his first save of the season after allowing one run on three hits, but retired the final batter of the game to preserve the win.

After Butler scored a run in the bottom of the first on a wild pitch, Dayton came back with a pair in the top of the second inning. After two outs to begin the second, McSoley smacked his second home run of the season deep to left field. The Flyers followed with three straight singles by Navalinski, Tedesco and Ramos to plate their second run for a 2-1 advantage.

UD added three more runs in the third after Massa took advantage of a Bulldog throwing error to reach as the leadoff batter. Schumm followed with a single to center that was bobbled by the Butler outfield to allow Massa to reach third base. Getty then walked and stole second to put runners on second and third for Benoit. The senior catcher singled to center which sent home Massa and pushed Getty to third with one out. Chandler followed with a sacrifice fly to right field for the second Flyer run of the inning. McSoley struck again with a single to right center, which allowed Benoit to come home from second for a 5-1 Dayton midway through the third.

The Flyers added another two runs in the sixth with the help of another extra base hit from McSoley. The junior third baseman led off with a double to left center and came home on the next play as Navalinski singled to right and advanced to third as the BU outfielder bobbled the ball. Ramos followed two batters later with an RBI single to center which gave UD a 7-1 lead after the top of the sixth.

Butler mounted a comeback beginning in the seventh as the leadoff batter struck out, but reached on a wild pitch. The following Bulldog walked to force a Flyer pitching change of Finn for Lindsay. BU followed with a two-RBI double down the left field line, a sacrfice fly and an RBI groundout to close within two at 7-5.

Dayton then went to its closer in the ninth and Rohren retired the opening batter with a foul out down the left field line. However, Butler would not go down quietly as three straight singles pulled the Bulldogs within a run and put runners on first and second with one out. Rohren took control from there with a foul out to short and a strike out for his first save of the season and a 7-6 Flyer victory.

The Flyers return home to host four games in four days at Time Warner Cable Stadium. Dayton will host Oakland on Friday (2 p.m.), Saturday (1 p.m.) and Sunday (Noon). UD will then take on Urbana Monday at 2 p.m.