Dayton hosts George Mason in rain-soaked Atlantic 10 series finale

DAYTON, Ohio (Interstat) — The Dayton Flyers will host the George Mason Patriots on Sunday afternoon at Woerner Field in the finale of a three-game Atlantic 10 series. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m., with a forecast of 66 degrees and rain.

Dayton (28-21) holds a 1-1 lead in the series after splitting a doubleheader Saturday. The Flyers won the opener 11-6 on Friday, while George Mason (23-24) rallied for a 6-4 victory in 10 innings later that day.

The Patriots’ Jake Drumm will take the mound looking to build on his performance in Saturday’s win. The right-hander tossed five scoreless innings, allowing no hits and one earned run while striking out four. Drumm has been inconsistent this season, posting a 6-4 record with a 4.12 ERA, but he has shown dominance in three of his last five starts, including a six-inning, two-run outing against George Washington on May 2.

Dayton will counter with right-hander John Delgado, who also started Saturday’s game. Delgado took the loss despite allowing just one earned run over 6 2/3 innings, scattering six hits and striking out six. The junior has a 5-3 record with a 3.89 ERA and has been effective at home, posting a 3-1 mark at Woerner Field.

The Flyers’ offense has been led by catcher Ryan MacDougall, who homered and drove in a run in Saturday’s loss. Right fielder Grayson Carpenter also went deep in that game. Dayton has won six of its last 10 games and is averaging 6.3 runs per contest.

George Mason shortstop Owen Clyne provided the heroics in Saturday’s extra-inning win, going 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs. The Patriots have won three of their last four games and are averaging 5.8 runs per game.

An Interstat game simulator projects a 7-5 Dayton victory.

The series finale may be critical for both teams’ postseason hopes. George Mason has dropped 10 of its last 15 road games, while Dayton is 15-9 at home. Following Sunday’s game, George Mason returns home to face La Salle on Thursday. Dayton travels to Notre Dame on Tuesday before a three-game series at George Washington.