“It’s kind of been a frustrating season, to be honest with you,” 13th-year UD coach Tony Vittorio said. “But there’s still six conference games to get something accomplished.”
The Flyers host UMass for a three-game series beginning today and conclude the season with three games at La Salle on May 17-19. They’re tied for fourth with UMass at 11-7 in the A-10. Saint Louis is first at 14-7, followed by Rhode Island (12-6) and Saint Joseph’s (11-6). Lurking behind UD, though, are Fordham (12-9), Xavier (10-8), Richmond (9-9) and Charlotte (8-9).
“There’s a lot of parity in the Atlantic 10. ... It happens every year. Whoever is playing their best baseball at the end of the year is going to get there and win the tournament,” Vittorio said.
The Flyers (22-27 overall), still looking for the program’s first conference tourney title, have been able to rely on Bury (6-2, 3.12 ERA) and Hauschild (6-2, 4.53) all season.
But Burny Mitchem, who figured to be a stalwart on the mound after going 8-2 with a 2.07 ERA as a junior last season, has stumbled to a 2-7 mark and 4.91 ERA.
“Both those guys have been workhorses for us,” Vittorio said of Bury and Hauschild. “They have good enough stuff that they’ve put our team in position to win every time they go out on the field. ... But you need to find a couple other guys to be able to compete on the weekends and be able to win a conference tournament.”
The Flyers, who have lost four of their last five, also need their bats to come alive. They averaged 6.8 runs in the first 43 games but just 3.2 in the last six.
They lead the nation in stolen bases with 135, but that doesn’t do much good if they can’t produce with runners in scoring position.
“It’s been exciting, aggressive, competitive offense for the most part of the year,” Vittorio said. “We’ve kind of quieted down the last week and a half or so. We have to pick that up and be the offensive team we’re capable of being.”
Softball: Senior Brandy Brown was named the Flyers' MVP after batting .338 this season and was selected second-team all-conference Wednesday. Pitcher Kayla English, who went 10-10 with a 2.55 ERA, and outfielder Natalie Mariano, who batted .309, made the A-10's all-rookie team.
Women's track: UD finished fourth at the A-10 championships last weekend. Sophomore Hanna Krizmanic captured the team's lone first-place finish by clearing 12 feet, 2 inches in the pole vault.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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