By Skye Tulio
Assistant Sports Editor
After taking two out of three games in a series against Marshall last weekend, the baseball team (8-6) defeated Niagara in its home opener Tuesday, 8-6.
The Bonnies travel to Dayton (7-12) for the first Atlantic 10 Conference series of the season, beginning at 3 this afternoon.
“Dayton is very, very good,” coach Larry Sudbrook said. “They’re a fully funded program and they’ve got twice the scholarship money that we have. They’ve got a 3-to-4 million dollar stadium … it’s just a beautiful place to play in.”
In the past, Sudbrook said his team hasn’t been as successful playing against Dayton on the Flyers’ home turf as it has been at home.
In 2008, the Bonnies swept the Flyers at Fred Handler Park, but in 2009, when the Bonnies traveled to Ohio, the Flyers got their revenge, taking all three games.
The Bonnies did not play the Flyers in 2010, but last season lost twice (13-3, 7-6) at Fred Handler Park before winning their final game, 7-6.
Sophomore starting pitcher Asa Johnson said the series against the Flyers should prove to be difficult.
“They’re usually at the top of the A-10, and on the road it’s going to be a tough series,” Johnson said. “If we could get one, maybe two out of them, that would be good.”
The Bonnies, led by redshirt junior starting pitcher Eddie Gray, claimed the first game of the series against Marshall Friday in Huntington, W.Va. with a 3-1 win. Gray pitched eight innings, allowing just one run. Senior left fielder Nick Brennen went 2-for-4 with a RBI.
In game two Saturday, the Bonnies continued the win streak, defeating the Thundering Herd, 10-8. Senior righty Jordan Crane started for the Bonnies, pitching six-and-two-thirds innings with three strikeouts. He allowed 12 hits and two walks. Junior first baseman Austin Ingraham led the Bonnies at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three hits and three RBI.
The Bonnies closed out the road trip with a 6-3 loss Sunday. Redshirt senior Cael Johnson threw four-and-a-third innings, recording five strikeouts and allowing four earned runs, five hits and six walks. Asa Johnson pitched one-and-two-thirds innings in relief with one hit, one strikeout and a hit batter.
Junior third baseman Billy Urban and Brennen pitched an inning apiece, giving up one hit, one run and one strikeout. Urban led the offense, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and hitting his first home run of the season.
“We had a good series,” Asa Johnson said. “When you’re on the road, it’s always good to be able to win two. In our first series of the year, to get two out of three from (Marshall) was really good for the team.”
Against Big Four rival Niagara (7-11), the Bonnies rallied to beat the Purple Eagles after losing a five-run lead in the top of the seventh. Back-to-back RBI singles in the top of the eighth by Ingraham and junior shortstop Michael Meredith helped put the Bonnies back on top.
“Since they’re so close to us, it’s always nice to beat them (Niagara),” Asa Johnson said.
Asa, a righty, got a no decision after pitching six-and-a-third innings. He was removed from the game with the bases loaded and one out.
“My first six innings were really strong … I got kind of tired out in the seventh,” Johnson said. “I talked to Coach about it and he was really encouraging, so that was good to get that first start.”
