The High Point University baseball team dropped a 9-1 decision to the University of Dayton on Friday afternoon in the series opener between the two squads at Coy O. Williard Sr. Stadium.

A seven-run third inning for the Flyers (1-2) that included three hit batters proved to be the difference in the first of three games against the Panthers (3-3). Dayton tallied seven hit-by-pitches for the game.

Senior Ryan Basham (0-2) suffered the loss allowing eight runs on five hits with six hit batters in four innings of work. Alex Dye (1-0) scattered five hits over 7.1 innings and surrendered just one run to earn the victory for Dayton.

Junior Billy Alvino recorded two hits to pace the HPU offense while Jake Hoover went 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Flyers at the plate.

After a pair of scoreless innings to open the game, Dayton broke things open with seven runs on four hits in the top of the third. Jimmy Roesinger was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jacob Spaeth got hit by a pitch in front of a single by Scott Dunwoody that loaded the bases. Marshall MacDonald smashed a ball to third base that was knocked down by HPU's Randy Schwartz plating the first run of the day. Hoover then drew a walk to force home the second run followed by Cole Tyrell becoming the third hit batsmen of the inning that made the score 3-0. Ryan Nevill singled home a run for the 4-0 lead followed by an RBI groundout by Myles Swartzel. In his second at-bat of the inning, Roesinger plated the final two runs with a single to center.

The Flyers added another run in the fourth as Hoover singled home Dunwoody, who had reached base after being hit by a pitch. Dayton scored their final run in the sixth on back-to-back doubles MacDonald and Hoover.

The Panthers broke up the shutout in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Jeff Cowan. Bill Manion drew a walk to leadoff the inning and moved to third on Pablo Rosario's fourth double of the year. Robby Kuzdale walked to load the bases and after a groundout kept the bases full, Cowan lifted a ball to rightfield scoring Rosario from third.

High Point and Dayton continue their weekend series on Saturday at 1 p.m. as HPU junior Matt Schlanger (RHP, 1-0, 1.50 ERA) faces UD junior Sean Finn (RHP, 0-0, 5.40 ERA).