Dayton, Ohio – (March 30, 2024) – Dayton totaled 12 runs on 16 hits to earn a 12-6 win over the Fordham Rams in game two of their Atlantic 10 series on Saturday afternoon at Woerner Field.
Fordham (9-17, 1-1 A10) opened with a 1-0 lead in the second inning when
Steve Luttazi hit a solo home run to right, his team-leading fourth of the season. Dayton answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning for a 2-1 edge, picking up runs on a double play and an RBI-double by Ivan Arias.
The Rams then tied the game at two in the fifth inning, as
Daniel Bucciero launched a solo home run to left center, his first of the season.
The game then turned in Dayton's favor, scoring six times in the bottom of the fifth for an 8-2 advantage, highlighted by a solo home run by Mason Dobie and a three-run home run by Paxton Tomaini.
After trading runs in the sixth, Fordham cut the deficit in half in the seventh, netting three runs to make it a 9-6 score, highlighted by an RBI-single by
Nico Boza. Dayton responded with three runs of its own for the 12-6 final, capping the scoring with a two-run home run by Nolan Watson.
Koen Smith (0-2) took the loss for Fordham, giving up eight runs on ten hits over 4.1 innings. At the plate,
Ryan Thiesse tied a career-high going 4-for-5 with a run scored and two stolen bases, while Bucciero, Boza, and
Cian Sahler each had two hits in the game.
The rubber game of the series is set for Sunday at noon.
