Ohio broke out the black jerseys for the final midweek regular season game, and the Bobcat batters brought the blue.
Right fielder Jensen Painter and catcher Kyle Dean bruised Dayton (25-28, 14-7 Atlantic-10) pitching with three dingers. Painter and Dean were the only source of run production as Ohio (27-25, 15-9 Mid-American Conference) won 7-2 Tuesday.
Flyers shortstop Brian Blasik singled through the left side in the top of the first inning but Ohio starter Tyler Backstrom picked him off to end the inning.
The Flyers’ aggressiveness on the base paths this season has paid off. Dayton leads nation in steals with 153 this season.
But Dean threw out three of four runners trying to swipe second base.
“It really started with the pitchers, they are really good at picking off, so that kept the runners close,” Dean said. “I’m just trying to be fundamental with my throws down to second but it was really the pitchers who did a great job.”
Painter clubbed his 13th home run of the season to give the Bobcats the early 1-0 lead in the second inning.
This was Backstrom’s best start of the season, allowing only two hits and no runs through four innings of work before being replaced by Shane Henkel. Ohio coach Joe Carbone had Backstrom on a short leash in the fifth and when the first batter of the inning reached base on an Ian Mezlak error, Henkel came on in relief.
Carbone said the move to the bullpen was only to get relievers who did not pitch in the Akron series some work.
Dayton threatened to score in the third when catcher Josh Jeffrey doubled to left field with two outs. Ohio third baseman Dan Schmidt made a diving play to his right to end the threat and the inning.
The defensive gems continued when Dean threw out Blasik in the fourth inning.
Painter swatted his 14th home run, and second of the game, in the bottom half of the fourth to increase the lead to 2-0.
“It helped that I saw some good pitches,” Painter said. “I got some pitches over the plate, fastballs especially, and I wanted to focus on sending it deep.”
Flyers first baseman C.J. Gillman roped a single into left field to score Dayton’s first run of the game. Blasik scored on a fielder’s choice to tie the game.
Dean not only influenced the game defensively, he increased the offensive output with a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth to put Ohio ahead for good.
nr225008@ohiou.edu
