Paulson Stifles Hot Rods, 4-1

Bowling Green, Ky. - Dayton starter Jake Paulson authored a career-high tying 7.0 innings of one-run ball, leading the Dragons to a 4-1 victory over the Hot Rods in front of a sellout crowd of 7,824 fans at Fifth Third Field Friday night.

Over 93 pitches, Paulson (7-5) retired the side in order five times and allowed just three hits - two by Bowling Green (28-31, 65-64) third baseman Grant Kay - while issuing no walks and tying a career-standard with eight strikeouts. The former Oakland University standout retired the first seven batters he faced and the last seven batters he faced, dropping his ERA to 2.71.

Jose Mujica matched Paulson through three innings, but with one out in the fourth, gave up consecutive singles to Avain Rachal and Paul Kronenfeld to put runners at first and third. On the very next pitch, Garrett Boulware reached on an infield single which scored Rachal to give Dayton (28-31, 67-62) the 1-0 lead. Narciso Crook then walked on four pitches to load the bags for Luis Gonzalez, whose line shot to centerfield cleared Thomas Milone's head resulting in a two-run double and a 3-0 cushion, though Crook was thrown out at the plate trying to clear the bases.

Cade Gotta doubled to deep left to leadoff the fifth for Bowling Green and ultimately scored on Kay's two-out RBI single, inching the Hot Rods within 3-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, Crook delivered Rachal with a two-out infield RBI single, pushing Dayton out to a 4-1 advantage.

Mujica (1-4) pitched well outside of the fourth, permitting four runs (three earned) on eight hits over 6.0 innings with one walk and one strikeout.

Bowling Green threatened against reliever Jeremy Kivel in the eighth on Carter Burgess' leadoff single and Kay's eight-pitch walk, but Conor Krauss humbled the Hot Rods from there working 1.2 scoreless innings to earn his ninth save.

Rachal and Kronenfeld had three hits each to lead the Dragons, while three Dayton hurlers limited the Hot Rods to five hits, a 1-for-6 clip with runners in scoring position and registered 10 strikeouts.

Saturday night marks the finale of the eight-game road trip for Bowling Green, as the Hot Rods send right-hander Hyrum Formo (4-5, 4.34) to the slab against Dayton southpaw Ty Nobles (0-0, 4.50).

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