7 Flyers named to Atlantic 10 All-Conference baseball teams as tournament nears

Flyers baseball seniors are recognized at Woerner Field before Saturday’s 14-9 win over the Colonials to finish the regular season. Photo courtesy of Peter Burtnett, Flyer News.

Peter Burtnett
Sports Editor

Seven different members of the Dayton Flyers baseball team were named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference teams on Wednesday with the A-10 tournament set to begin Thursday.

Named to the First Team were junior infielders Marcos Pujols and Benjamin Blackwell, while Pujols and senior third baseman Riley Tirotta were named to the Second Team. Freshman pitcher Parker Bard earned All-Rookie honors, and senior Mitchell Garrity and graduate students Ben Olson and Tyler Jones were named to the All-Academic team.

Pujols had a break-out season, batting .366 while starting in 46 of the Flyers’ 47 games, and the junior goes into the postseason on a 15-game hitting streak. Blackwell batted .358 in 2021, totaled 12 doubles and 10 stolen bases, and was a key piece for the Flyers from shortstop.

Tirotta has been the Flyers’ dependable RBI guy, driving in 54 runs and hitting 14 home runs. Bard finished 2021 with a 3-0 record and a .255 batting average allowed.

Garrity, Olson and Jones have been important members of the Flyers in their careers at UD, and culminate their careers by being recognized for their academic achievements.

The postseason awards are special for the Flyers, but the team as a whole now shifts focus to the A-10 Tournament, which begins at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday against Rhode Island at The Diamond on VCU’s campus in Richmond, Va. Rhode Island did not face the Flyers in 2021, finishing their regular season 27-24-1.

If the Flyers lose Thursday’s game, they will play in an elimination game later the same day at 7 p.m. against the loser of VCU and Saint Joseph’s. If they beat Rhode Island, they will play the winner of the other match-up at 12 p.m.

A win in Friday’s semifinal game or the following elimination game would send the Flyers into the A-10 Championship Game at 3:30 p.m. Saturday for an automatic bid to the NCAA Baseball Championship.

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