March 21, 2007

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DAYTON, Ohio - Homestanding Dayton rallied from a four-run deficit to beat Butler, 9-8 in 12 innings on Wednesday at Time Warner Cable Stadium. A 12th inning walk-off single by senior Bobby Getty pushed UD to 7-10 overall this season with its fourth straight win over the Bulldogs.

Getty finished 4-for-6 with a home run, sacrifice fly, run scored and four RBI including the game-winner for the Flyers who out hit the Bulldogs, 17-11.

Michael Massa finished 5-for-7 with a double, three runs scored while Scott Dunwoody was 2-for-6 with a home run, two RBI and a run scored as UD improved to 2-1 in extra-inning games this season.

Joe Boneau doubled down the left field to leadoff the 12th for the Flyers and finished 1-for-2 with a RBI and scored the game-winning run.

Frank Tedesco also doubled as part of a 1-for-5 afternoon that included a run scored as Dayton collected five extra base hits to Butler's two.

Lucas Farden earned the win for the Flyers with two scoreless innings pitched while allowing just two hits and striking out two batters to close out a day in which the UD pitching staff allowed just three earned runs.

Butler opened the game with a two-out three-run homer to centerfield by Joe Dempsey in the first inning. UD came back with another run of its own in the bottom of the first. Michael Massa singled to start the inning. He then moved to second on a fielding error by the third baseman on a ground ball by Cole Tyrell. Jeff Mercer took advantage of the miscue by ripping a RBI single to centerfield to make it a 3-1 deficit.

The Bulldogs scored two more unearned runs in the third, but Dayton responded again with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Michael Massa started the rally again with a bunt single. After one out, Bobby Getty belted a homer to cut the BU lead to 5-3 after three innings.

UD added another run in the fourth with a home run to left field off the bat of Scott Dunwoody, but Butler scored twice in the top of the fifth to stretch its lead to 8-5.

Michael Massa doubled to start another Flyer rally in the bottom of the fifth inning. After Cole Tyrell reached on a fielding error, Massa moved to third to give Dayton runners on the corners with no outs. Tyrell moved up on a wild pitch and then Bobby Getty drove in Massa from third with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to cut into the deficit again for an 8-6 game.

The Bulldogs went to the bullpen for the first time to start the Flyer eighth inning and Dayton took advantage. After one out, Shawn Gizynski laced a single up the middle followed by a double down the left field line by Frank Tedesco. Michael Massa delivered again for UD with a single to centerfield which sent home Gizynski from third base. Tedesco also moved up to third on the play and then scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Joe Boneau to even the score at 7-all.

After three scoreless trips to the plate, Butler scored an unearned run in the top of the ninth to go ahead 9-8 and force the Flyers into a critical bottom of the ninth inning. After one out, Joe McSoley singled to right centerfield. Cale Ort followed with another single to left centerfield, which put runners on first and second with one out. Scott Dunwoody followed with UD's third straight base hit as Scott Dunwoody hit a RBI single to left centerfield to knot the score at 8-8.

Both teams headed into extra innings and were not able to plate a run until the bottom of the 12th when the Flyers put together another rally. Joe Boneau ledoff the frame with a double down the left field line. He moved up to third on a errant pickoff throw that went into centerfield. Bobby Getty then ended the game when he hit a 1-1 pitch down the right field line to plate Boneau and send the Flyers home with their second come-from-behind win over the Bulldogs in the last three years.

UD begins Atlantic 10 Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Xavier. The Flyers and Musketeers will square off on Friday (2:30 p.m. ET), Saturday (1 p.m. ET) and Sunday (Noon ET) in games that can be followed with Live Audio and Gametracker at www.DaytonFlyers.com.