March 28, 2007

Box Score

DAYTON, Ohio - Sophomore Sean Finn had his best career performance with 10 strikeouts as Dayton beat Ohio Northern, 5-2 on Wednesday at Time Warner Cable Stadium. The win snaps a four-game skid for the Flyers who head to Philadelphia this weekend to face Saint Joseph's in a three-game Atlantic 10 Conference series on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All three games can be followed with Gametracker at www.DaytonFlyers.com.

Finn allowed just two base runners in the first five innings of the game and threw 4.1 innings before allowing the first ONU base hit. He finished with 10 strikeouts and just one walk in 6.0+ innings of work and allowed two runs on four hits while improving to 1-1 on the season.

Senior Phil Ernst finished the day on the hill for Dayton and earned his first career save after throwing 2.2 innings of no-hit relief. The righthander struck out four batters and did not surrender a walk.

The Flyers out hit the Polar Bears 10-4 on the afternoon including two-hit days by the pair of Michael Massa and Jeff Mercer. Massa was 2-for-4 with a triple, stolen base and two runs scored while Mercer finished 2-for-4 with a stolen base, RBI and two runs scored.

Senior Bobby Getty singled and scored for UD while the trio of Scott Dunwoody, Myles Swartzel and Frank Tedesco each singled and drove in a run.

Dayton started its offense in the second inning when Jeff Mercer ledoff with a single through the left side. After two outs, Mercer stole second base and Myles Swartzel looped a single to right field to give UD a 1-0 lead.

The Flyers added more offense in the fourth beginning with an infield single from Bobby Getty to leadoff the inning. Jeff Mercer traded places with Getty on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a single by Joe McSoley. Shawn Gizynski followed with another hit to load the bases. After a pitching change, Frank Tedesco delivered a pinch hit single to left field and Dayton went ahead 2-0 after four innings.

Michael Massa started the fifth with a triple into the right field corner. He scored on the next at bat with a single to right field by Scott Dunwoody as UD took a 3-0 advantage.

ONU got back into the game with a run in the sixth and another in the seventh to reduce the Flyer lead to 3-2. Dayton regained momentum in the bottom of the seventh with two runs on two hits. Michael Massa singled and stole second base with two outs. Then Bobby Getty reached on a fielding error and advanced to second on a throwing miscue which allowed Massa to score from second base. Jeff Mercer followed with a single through the left side to plate Getty and Dayton went ahead 5-2.

From there Phil Ernst sent the Polar Bears into hibernation as he retired six of the seven batters he faced over the final 2.2 innings of the game as UD won 5-2.