Baseball Update: Flyers Split Doubleheader Against GW In Atlantic-10 Play

Michael Crouchley
Staff Writer

Power was the name of the game on Saturday in Dayton Baseball’s first Atlantic-10 games of the season. Flyer fans saw 11 balls sail over the fence at Woerner Field as UD split the doubleheader against George Washington.

The first game was a high scoring affair, with the Flyers coming out on top 15-9.

“We just hit the ball well,” said coach Jayson King. “We put a lot of good swings on balls and hitting’s contagious.”

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George Washington’s Isaiah Pasteur lead off the game with a solo shot but junior infielder Pat Meehan answered back in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer of his own. Meehan had a stat-stuffing first game finishing with two home runs, four hits and six RBIs.

“I felt good in the box, I was able to get some good swings in,” Meehan said.

Scoring was consistent throughout for the Flyers with infielders freshman Riley Tirotta, sophomore Takahiro Yamada and outfielder junior Connor Echols all going yard, along with Meehan.
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The pitching mound was essentially a revolving door for the Flyers. Redshirt-sophomore Brandon Smith got the start but six pitchers saw game time for UD, with sophomore Tyler Jones registering the win.

“The bullpen really did a nice job when the game was in the balance allowing us to preserve the lead,” King said.

The second game saw UD’s bats quiet down significantly. George Washington’s starting pitcher, Elliott Raimo, had control of the game from the jump. Raimo went eight innings and gave up only two runs.

“They had a guy who had a little more command of what he was doing with his pitches,” said King. “Things started to not go the hitters way and it got contagious.”

Unlike the Flyers, George Washington kept their offensive firepower from the first game, scoring six runs in the first three innings — in large part to the two-run home run from centerfielder Mark Osis in the first. He also knocked a solo shot about 400 feet in seventh to push their lead to six.
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Senior Masashi Sakamoto stabilized the game out of the bullpen, giving up only one hit in his three innings pitched. However, it was too little, too late, as the Flyers fell 9-2.

The starting pitcher for the Flyers only went two innings in both games, something King is looking to improve, “That’s one thing we have to figure out, some how, some way.”

The Flyers will finish the series against the Colonials on Sunday at 12 p.m., looking to pull out a series victory to open up A-10 play.

“Tomorrow’s a new day, if we come out and get a win that’s a big first weekend in conference,” Meehan said. “If you win every series you’re going to make the playoffs. Tomorrow’s championship Sunday, we have to go out and give it our all.”

Photo Taken By Steve Miller/Sports Editor