May 25, 2012

Photo Gallery

2012 Baseball Game 7 - UR-UD

BRONX, N.Y.--No. 2 Dayton used a 10-hit offensive onslaught to clinch a berth to the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship finals with a 9-5 win over fifth-seeded Richmond Friday afternoon at Fordham's Houlihan Park.

It will be the first appearance in the finals for the Flyers (30-28). Richmond (29-25) falls into the consolation bracket and will play the winner of the Saint Louis-Saint Joseph's game.

Starter Tim Bury (8-2) earned the win for Dayton, throwing 7.2 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits. UD closer Burny Mitchem (6) picked up a save for 1.1 innings of hitless pitching. UR starter Andrew Blum (6-4) suffered the loss, allowing 10 hits and nine runs, just three of which were earned.

Shortstop Brian Blasik jacked a solo lead-off home run to give Dayton a 1-0 lead in the first. The Spiders got the run back in the bottom of the second on a double by left fielder Bryan Conway that scored right fielder Phil Ruzbarsky.

The Flyers took the lead back, taking advantage of a pair of UR fielding errors in the third. Catcher Josh Jeffery reached on a second-base error, eventually scoring on a C.J. Gillman sac fly. Jeffery led off the inning with a double and scored on an outfield error.

Richmond totaled six errors in the game, with three of the other four coming in the top of the fourth, allowing UD to plate four runs. Left fielder Zach Stewart, second baseman Jared Broughton and third baseman Robby Sunderman all scored in the inning to give the Flyers a 7-1 lead.

Richmond chipped away at that lead, scoring single runs in the fourth, fifth seventh and eighth innings, plating second baseman Adam Forrer in the eighth to pull within two runs with the tying run at first, but a strikeout ended the inning.

Blasik and designated hitter Ian Hundley each had two hits and Blasik had two RBI to lead the Flyers. Ruzbarsky and first baseman Ryan Mallory each had two hits for Richmond and centerfielder Matt Zink had two RBI.