Dayton Comes to Purdue Fort Wayne on Wednesday
4/25/2023 3:58:00 PM | Baseball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Justin Miller enters the week with 210 strikeouts, tied for the most in program history. His first time to potentially get back on the mound will be on Wednesday (April 26) when the 'Dons host Dayton.
Game Day Information
Who: Purdue Fort Wayne (10-31) vs. Dayton (14-26)
When: Wednesday, April 26 | 3 p.m. | Mastodon Field
Weather: 57, cloudy
Live Stats: Link
Series History: Dayton leads 15-3. The Flyers defeated Purdue Fort Wayne 8-3 in Dayton earlier this season.
Probable Pitchers:
Purdue Fort Wayne: RHP Brendan Reid (2-2)
Dayton: RHP Jacob Wilson (0-0)
Scouting the Flyers: Dayton took two-of-three from Saint Louis last week in a league series with the Billikens. The week started with an 8-3 win over crosstown rival Wright State and an 8-7 loss at Ohio State. Ben Jones leads the team in hitting (.372). Marcos Pujols has a team-best nine home runs.
Record Within Striking Distance: The 2023 season is Justin Miller's fifth as a Mastodon. Miller owns 210 career strikeouts, tied with Jason Horvath (2001-04) for most career strikeouts. His next strikeout will give Miller the record all to himself. Additionally, Miller is averaging 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings, the best for a career in program history during the Division I era.
Down Goes Sparty: The Mastodons defeated Michigan State on April 19th 3-2. It is the Mastodons' second straight season with a win over a Big 10 opponent. Last season the 'Dons defeated eventual league champion Michigan.
Return of the SAC: Dylan Stewart is tied for the league lead with seven sacrifice bunts.
Grant is Fly: In league play only, Grant Thoroman leads the Horizon League in sacrifice flies with four.
Back in Black: Braedon Blackford is second in the league with 11 home runs. He is tied for third in RBIs (39) and fifth in slugging (.575).
Double-Digits: Braedon Blackford's 11 home runs has him tied for fifth in program history for home runs in a season. The all-time single season record is Shaun VanDriessche's 18 in 2010.
Cade Gets on Base: Cade Nelis has a current 22-game on-base streak. It is the longest for a Mastodon since Jackson Boyce reached base in 37 consecutive games in 2017. Nelis owns 27 walks, third best in the league.
HL is BH Time: In league play lay only, Ben Higgins is second in the league slugging (.793), OPS (1.232) and RBIs (22).
Walk This Way...: Jacob Walker has a current nine-game hitting streak. He hit his first home run of the season on Sunday vs. Wright State.
Masto-Slams: The 'Dons hit grand slams in back-to-back games against Northern Kentucky. On March 24 Ben Higgins hit a grand slam and then in game one on March 26 Jarrett Bickel hit a game-tying grand slam in the seventh inning of a 9-5 win.
Save X4: Four different Mastodons have recorded a save this season. Brody Fine, Mac Ayres, JD Deany and Justin Miller own saves for the 'Dons.
Closing Time: Justin Miller owns eight career saves, fourth most in Mastodon history for career saves.
'Dons Dig The Long Ball: 11 different Mastodons have hit a home run this season, it is the most since 2013 when 11 different 'Dons hit a home run. The 2003 season saw 13 Mastodons hit a home run, the most during the Mastodon Division I era.
Turn It!: The Mastodons are 52nd in the nation in double plays turned with 31 this season.
Multi-verse: 14 different Mastodons have had a multi-hit game this season.
Hey Batter Batter (of the Week): Braedon Blackford hit .429 and slugged 1.357 with four home runs in 14 at bats over four games played in Winston-Salem, N.C. (March 3-5). He also recorded one double, seven RBIs, five runs scored, two walks and 19 total bases to earn the Horizon League Batter of the Week honor.
Hey Batter Batter (of the Week) X2: Ben Higgins was named the Horizon League Batter of the Week on April 4 for his play the prior weekend. His play was highlighted by his thee home run performance at Youngstown State on March 31). Higgins was the first Mastodon to hit three big flys in a game since 2016.
D1Baseball Top 30: Braedon Blackford was named a Top 30 Hitter of the day for his two-run home run game vs. Cornell. He was ranked No. 11. He also earned the No. 12 spot on the list after his five-hit, six-RBI doubleheader against Milwaukee (April 15). JD Deany was selected as a Top 30 pitcher for his five shutout innings vs. Cornell. Ben Higgins was named the No. 3 hitter of the day by DIBaseball.com for his three dinger day against Youngstown State.
Up Next: The 'Dons will travel to Northern Kentucky this weekend in Horizon League play.
Game Day Information
Who: Purdue Fort Wayne (10-31) vs. Dayton (14-26)
When: Wednesday, April 26 | 3 p.m. | Mastodon Field
Weather: 57, cloudy
Live Stats: Link
Series History: Dayton leads 15-3. The Flyers defeated Purdue Fort Wayne 8-3 in Dayton earlier this season.
Probable Pitchers:
Purdue Fort Wayne: RHP Brendan Reid (2-2)
Dayton: RHP Jacob Wilson (0-0)
Scouting the Flyers: Dayton took two-of-three from Saint Louis last week in a league series with the Billikens. The week started with an 8-3 win over crosstown rival Wright State and an 8-7 loss at Ohio State. Ben Jones leads the team in hitting (.372). Marcos Pujols has a team-best nine home runs.
Record Within Striking Distance: The 2023 season is Justin Miller's fifth as a Mastodon. Miller owns 210 career strikeouts, tied with Jason Horvath (2001-04) for most career strikeouts. His next strikeout will give Miller the record all to himself. Additionally, Miller is averaging 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings, the best for a career in program history during the Division I era.
Down Goes Sparty: The Mastodons defeated Michigan State on April 19th 3-2. It is the Mastodons' second straight season with a win over a Big 10 opponent. Last season the 'Dons defeated eventual league champion Michigan.
Return of the SAC: Dylan Stewart is tied for the league lead with seven sacrifice bunts.
Grant is Fly: In league play only, Grant Thoroman leads the Horizon League in sacrifice flies with four.
Back in Black: Braedon Blackford is second in the league with 11 home runs. He is tied for third in RBIs (39) and fifth in slugging (.575).
Double-Digits: Braedon Blackford's 11 home runs has him tied for fifth in program history for home runs in a season. The all-time single season record is Shaun VanDriessche's 18 in 2010.
Cade Gets on Base: Cade Nelis has a current 22-game on-base streak. It is the longest for a Mastodon since Jackson Boyce reached base in 37 consecutive games in 2017. Nelis owns 27 walks, third best in the league.
HL is BH Time: In league play lay only, Ben Higgins is second in the league slugging (.793), OPS (1.232) and RBIs (22).
Walk This Way...: Jacob Walker has a current nine-game hitting streak. He hit his first home run of the season on Sunday vs. Wright State.
Masto-Slams: The 'Dons hit grand slams in back-to-back games against Northern Kentucky. On March 24 Ben Higgins hit a grand slam and then in game one on March 26 Jarrett Bickel hit a game-tying grand slam in the seventh inning of a 9-5 win.
Save X4: Four different Mastodons have recorded a save this season. Brody Fine, Mac Ayres, JD Deany and Justin Miller own saves for the 'Dons.
Closing Time: Justin Miller owns eight career saves, fourth most in Mastodon history for career saves.
'Dons Dig The Long Ball: 11 different Mastodons have hit a home run this season, it is the most since 2013 when 11 different 'Dons hit a home run. The 2003 season saw 13 Mastodons hit a home run, the most during the Mastodon Division I era.
Turn It!: The Mastodons are 52nd in the nation in double plays turned with 31 this season.
Multi-verse: 14 different Mastodons have had a multi-hit game this season.
Hey Batter Batter (of the Week): Braedon Blackford hit .429 and slugged 1.357 with four home runs in 14 at bats over four games played in Winston-Salem, N.C. (March 3-5). He also recorded one double, seven RBIs, five runs scored, two walks and 19 total bases to earn the Horizon League Batter of the Week honor.
Hey Batter Batter (of the Week) X2: Ben Higgins was named the Horizon League Batter of the Week on April 4 for his play the prior weekend. His play was highlighted by his thee home run performance at Youngstown State on March 31). Higgins was the first Mastodon to hit three big flys in a game since 2016.
D1Baseball Top 30: Braedon Blackford was named a Top 30 Hitter of the day for his two-run home run game vs. Cornell. He was ranked No. 11. He also earned the No. 12 spot on the list after his five-hit, six-RBI doubleheader against Milwaukee (April 15). JD Deany was selected as a Top 30 pitcher for his five shutout innings vs. Cornell. Ben Higgins was named the No. 3 hitter of the day by DIBaseball.com for his three dinger day against Youngstown State.
Up Next: The 'Dons will travel to Northern Kentucky this weekend in Horizon League play.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
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