March 9, 2007

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

DAYTON, Ohio - A seventh-inning grand slam by Shawn Gizynski pushed Dayton past Oakland, 15-11 in UD's home opener at Time Warner Cable Stadium on Friday afternoon. UD (3-7) and OU (5-5) are scheduled to continue their three-game series on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the action with Live Audio and Gametracker at www.DaytonFlyers.com.

Both teams pounded out 13 hits each in a game that lasted three hours and forty minutes. However, the contest was decided by the lone hit of the day from Gizynski who smacked his first grand slam in the Flyer uniform with two outs in the seventh inning. The win was the 200th Flyer victory for Head Coach Tony Vittorio who is in his eighth season at UD.

From there relief pitcher Alex Dye closed out the game for Dayton with 2.0 innings of relief work while not allowing a run or base hit to the Golden Grizzlies. Dye held the win for Jordan Gaietto who improved to 1-0 on the season after allowing three runs on six hits over 3.0 innings pitched in his first outing of the season.

Besides Gizynski, four other Flyers had multi-RBI performances on the afternoon. Sophomores Jeff Mercer and Max Navalinski collected three hits each. Mercer was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI while Navalinski finished 3-for-5 with a double, home run, two runs scored and two RBI.

Senior Bobby Getty went 2-for-5 with a walk, three runs scored and two RBI. Classmate Joe McSoley was 1-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBI while also finishing as one of seven different Flyer batters to be hit by a pitch on the day. The seven plunked batters is a school record and tied for the fourth most in NCAA single-game history. In fact, UD has been hit by pitch seven times in a single game once in each of the last three seasons. Overall, nine batters combined were hit by a pitch in the contest which tied for the third highest total in NCAA single-game history.

Senior Michael Massa finished 1-for-4 with a triple, walk, three runs scored and a RBI. He now has moved into first place all-time at UD with 14 career triples.

Scott Dunwoody was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI as Dayton had at least one runner reach base in all but the eighth inning.

After Dayton fell behind 4-0 after the top of the first on a grand slam by Kevin Carkeek, Michael Massa started the offense for the Flyers in the bottom of the frame as he reached on a fielding error by the third baseman on a slow roller to the left side of the infield. Massa then stole second and advanced to third on a poor throw by the Oakland catcher. Following one out, Bobby Getty singled to left field to plate Massa for his first RBI of the afternoon. Getty would move up to second on an infield single on another slow roller to the left side by Jeff Mercer. Max Navalinski took advantage on the next at bat with a RBI double to left center to pull the Flyers within a pair at 4-2 after one inning of play.

Oakland added another run in the top of the second inning on an RBI groundout by Carkeek, but Dayton answered back with two of its own in the bottom of the third to close the gap. The first two runners reached base for the Flyers as Bobby Getty walked and Jeff Mercer was hit by a pitch. Then after one out, Scott Dunwoody collected another infield single to load the bases with one out. Oakland went to its bullpen and Joe McSoley jumped on the Golden Grizzlies' reliever with a two-RBI double down the left field line to make it a 5-4 game after three innings.

Kevin Carkeek smacked a two-run homer as part of a three-run rally for OU in the top of the fourth, but Dayton would take control of the game in its next two turns to the plate. Michael Massa ledoff the fourth inning with a triple to centerfield and then scored on a RBI groundout by Bobby Getty. Then Max Navalinski started the fifth inning with a blast over the right field wall. Scott Dunwoody followed with a single to right field and Joe McSoley was hit by a pitch to give UD runners on first and second with no outs. The pair advanced one base each on a sacrifice bunt from Shawn Gizynski before Oakland loaded the bases with a walk to Cale Ort. After another pitching change, Massa drew a walk to send home another run. Cole Tyrell was hit by a pitch on the next play and then Jeff Mercer ripped a two-RBI single to put UD ahead 10-8.

Oakland took the lead back in the seventh with a three-run burst, but Dayton responded with a five-run explosion in the bottom of the frame to secure victory. After Bobby Getty and Jeff Mercer singled with one out, Max Navalinski singled down the right field line to load the bases for Scott Dunwoody who lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield which tied the score at 11-all. McSoley drew a walk to load the bases again on the next at bat. Shawn Gizynski then smacked his first grand slam since joining the UD roster to give the Flyers a 15-11 victory.