The University of Dayton baseball team lost the only game of a snow-shortened season opening series against Gardner-Webb University on Friday, Feb. 15, in Boiling Springs, N.C.
The series, which was supposed to be a four-game set, had two of the games canceled due to heavy snow which covered the complex, not allowing the games to be played. The second game of the series, on Saturday, was tied with no score in the sixth inning when play was postponed until Sunday, where the game was canceled, ending it in a tie.
In the first game on Friday, UD jumped out to an early 1-0 lead following a solo home run by junior outfielder Mark Podlas. GWU responded with a solo home run of its own in the bottom of the first from sophomore infielder Ryan Hodge.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs then scored five unanswered runs in the next two innings off UD senior right handed pitcher Parker Schrage to stretch the lead to 6-1. Schrage finished the game with six earned runs on 10 hits in three innings pitched with one walk and three strikeouts, and was credited with the loss.
UD responded with two runs in the top of the fourth off of a two-run home run from redshirt sophomore outfielder Spencer Rohr.
GWU finished with runs in the bottom of the fourth and seventh to round out the scoring.
In total, UD was held to six hits and struck out 12 times. Junior infielder Robby Sunderman led UD with two hits, and Podlas and Rohr contributed the only RBIs.
GWU was led on the mound by sophomore right-handed pitcher Matt Fraudin, who finished with three runs given up, all earned, on five hits in five innings pitched, and had two walks and seven strikeouts, getting credit for the win. On offense, GWU finished with 15 hits, nine strikeouts and had six players with multiple hits.
In the second, snow shortened game, sophomore right-handed pitcher Noah Buettgen, making his UD debut, held GWU to no runs on just three hits with no walks and three strikeouts before the game was canceled. The Flyers had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the sixth when play was suspended.
The Flyers will return to North Carolina for their next series, a three-game set against University of North Carolina-Greensboro, which starts on Friday, Feb. 22.
