May 16, 2008

Box Score

DAYTON, Ohio - A walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning by Max Navalinski pushed Dayton past Duquesne in Atlantic 10 baseball action on Friday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Stadium. With the win UD (30-25, 12-14 A-10) secured the fifth 30-win season in program history.

The Flyers prevailed in a back-and-forth game that saw five lead changes behind an offense that tallied 12 hits and took advantage of three errors, two walks and five hit batters. Dayton has now been hit by pitch 105 times this season, which is a new school record and tied for the 11th most in NCAA single-season history. UD is also one of just two schools to have been hit by pitch at least 100 times in consecutive seasons. The Flyers were plunked 104 times last year.

Navalinski joined a group of four Flyers that tallied multi-hit afternoon. He finished 2-for-5 with a double, walk, run scored and four RBI to pace the Dayton offense.

Kevin Miller went 3-for-5 with a walk, stolen base, three runs scored and a RBI. He was followed by Jacob Spaeth and Myles Swartzel with two hits each. Spaeth was 2-for-4 with a double, stolen base, two runs scored and a RBI while Swartzel added three RBI in a 2-for-6 effort.

Burny Mitchem improved to 5-2 on the season after posting 3.1 innings of impressive relief pitching. The freshman struck out nine batters and allowed only two unearned runs on three hits and two walks.

Quinn Haselhorst began the day on the mound for UD and surrendered eight runs on 13 hits with a pair of strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched.

Duquesne started the scoring with three runs in the first on a two-run homer and a RBI double to quickly build a 3-0 lead. Dayton responded with a two-out rally to get one back in the bottom of the frame. After Kevin Miller ledoff with a single to left centerfield, he moved up to second on a groundout. Miller then made his way to third on a deep fly ball to centerfield by Marshall MacDonald. The play setup a RBI opportunity for Myles Swartzel who ripped a base hit up the middle with two outs to make it a 3-1 score.

The Dukes added another run in the second inning to regain a three-run advantage before the Flyers used another two-out rally to even the score. Jake Hoover kept the inning alive with a two-out single to the shortstop for UD. Jacob Spaeth then planted a double down the right field line to drive in Hoover all the way from first. Kevin Miller walked on four straight pitches and Scott Dunwoody was hit by the next pitch to load the bases for Marshall MacDonald. He worked a five-pitch walk to pull the Flyers within one and Myles Swartzel used another infield single to the shortstop to knot the score at 4-4 after two innings.

Dayton took its first lead of the game in the fourth inning on a rally that began with another infield single to short by Jacob Spaeth. He then stole second base but was forced to remain there when Kevin Miller ripped a line drive off the pitcher that was eventually fielded by the shortstop for a single. Scott Dunwoody moved the pair to second and third with one out on a sacrifice bunt and Marshall MacDonald was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Myles Swartzel ripped a ground ball at the third baseman that was misplayed and allowed him to reach base safely while sending Spaeth home from third. Cole Tyrell followed with another groundball that was bobbled by the second baseman to give Miller a chance to score for a 6-4 UD advantage after four innings.

The Dukes came back with four runs in the top of the sixth inning for an 8-6 lead, but the Flyers came right back with a rally of their own in the bottom of the frame to regain the momentum. Marshall MacDonald got things going with a one-out walk and after fly out, Cole Tyrell pushed him to second base with a single down the left field line. Ryan Nevill was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Max Navalinski belted a bases-clearing double to left centerfield that gave Dayton another lead at 9-8.

UD added a crucial run in the eighth when Max Navalinski ledoff with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Jake Hoover. Then after a pitching change and a ground out, Kevin Miller ripped a single off the first baseman to allow Navalinski to score from second and put Dayton ahead, 10-8.

Duquesne rallied to extend the game in the top of the ninth inning as it got two runners on with two outs when Eric Morrison hit a looper along the right field line that went in the glove of the Flyer right fielder and then back out. Both runners scored on the error to even the score, but pitcher Burny Mitchem was able to get the next batter to strike out swinging to preserve a 10-10 tie.

Dayton responded with a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth inning. After the next batter struck out trying to lay down a sacrifice bunt, Justin McManus was inserted as a pinch runner for MacDonald. Cole Tyrell was hit with the next pitch from the Duquesne hurler, but UD was quickly down to its last out after a strikeout. Max Navalinski would hit the second pitch he saw into left centerfield to end the game with the Flyers on top, 11-10.

UD will wrap up its 2008 season on Saturday as it plays host to Senior Day against Duquesne at Time Warner Cable Stadium. Six Flyer seniors will be honored in pregame ceremonies at 11:45 a.m. ET followed by a first pitch scheduled for Noon ET. Fans can follow the action with Gametracker at www.DaytonFlyers.com.