May 15, 2007

Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. - Visiting Dayton smacked a pair of home runs in an eight-run eighth inning rally and then held on for a 9-8 non-conference baseball victory at Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday. Michael Massa had the game-winning two-run blast to finish 3-for-5 with a triple, two runs scored and two RBI.

Massa has now tallied 266 career hits, which is just four shy of the all-time record at Dayton held by UD Hall of Famer Ryan Fleming who finished with 270 base hits from 1995-1998. The senior shortstop already holds the Flyer career records for runs scored (202), triples (20) and stolen bases (62).

Overall, UD (20-31) was out hit 11-9 by EKU despite a two-hit afternoon by Flyer senior Bobby Getty. Getty hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning and scored twice as Dayton won for the second time in four games.

Lucas Farden got off to a solid start for Dayton as he retired 11 straight batters from the first through the fourth innings. He finished with a no decision after allowing just three earned runs on eight hits over 6.1 innings pitched. Farden struck out four and walked only two.

Eastern Kentucky has built a 4-1 lead heading into the eighth inning, but Michael Massa singled through the right side and Scott Dunwoody drew a walk to begin the Flyer offense. Bobby Getty followed with his fifth home run of the season to knot the score at 4-all. Jeff Mercer was hit by a pitch to increase UD's nation's leading total to 103 batters hit by pitch. Max Navalinski replaced Mercer as a pinch runner during a pitching change and advanced to second on a one-out pinch hit infield single by Myles Swartzel. The Flyers loaded the bases on a error by the shortstop and after a strikeout, Kevin Miller hit a two-RBI single to right field that also plated Cole Tyrell from first base on an error by the right fielder. Michael Massa added to the rally with a two-run homer to left centerfield, his third of the season as UD went ahead, 9-4.

The Colonels surged back with a three-run homer by Aaron Barrows in the bottom of the eighth, but held on for a 9-8 victory.

Dayton will close out its regular season with a three-game Atlantic 10 series that begin on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. All three games can be followed with Gametracker at www.DaytonFlyers.com.