SUMMIT - Never underestimate the importance of insurance runs.
Dayton took its second lead of the season against Summit and then added on for a comfortable eight-run cushion going into the final inning.
As it turned out, the Bulldogs needed every one of those insurance runs.
Summit took advantage of some sloppy Dayton defensive play in the top of the seventh and battled all the way back to having the tying run on deck.
Senior right-hander Frank Dasti, Dayton's third pitcher, retired the game's final batter on a fly ball to right that was not-so-easy for sophomore Niko Sieminski to catch.
However, Sieminski did hold on for the game's final out as Dayton held on to top Summit 10-7 in this past Tuesday's (April 1st) Opening Day game played at Summit's Memorial Park field. The game was originally scheduled to be played at Dayton's Ruby Field in Springfield, but was moved because of heavy rainfall the day before.
Dayton, as the home team in this Union County Conference-crossover clash, was sparked by key efforts from practically all involved, including starting pitcher Michael Ramirez and infielder Mikey Corea.
Ramirez, a senior left-hander, pitched the first four innings complete, earning the mound victory. Dayton took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 4-2 advantage going into the fifth.
Ramirez allowed just two runs on two hits, with the first run he gave up unearned on an infield error. Ramirez struck out four, walked five and hit one batter. He also picked off a runner in the third and struck out the final batter he faced in the fourth looking. His first strikeout came on an off-speed pitch.
"I felt great," Ramirez said. "My four-seam worked best. In the past I struggled throwing it."
Dayton took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on an RBI-groundout to first hit by Nico Davila. The big at-bat in the inning was produced by the lefty-swinging Corea, on the first pitch he saw this season, executing a hit-and-run that saw Babiarz move to third after Corea placed a single into right field.
"I worked on hitting line drives in the off season," Corea, also a senior, said.
Summit came back in the top of the fourth to take its only lead at 2-1, with runs scoring on an error and a passed ball.
The Hilltoppers, however, were not able to hang on to that lead for very long. Dayton came right back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to remain ahead for the rest of the game. Corea again came through for the Bulldogs.
With the bases loaded and nobody out, this time Corea was behind in the count at 0-2. After fouling off the third pitch, Corea managed to get his bat on the ball again and this time drive it the opposite way to left field, driving in one run for an RBI-single to tie the game at 2-2.
"I didn't like one of the calls in that at-bat," Corea said. "I just tried to stay focused."
There were four separate times in the inning where Dayton had the bases full. The second time saw Davila walk on a 10-pitch at-bat that got him to first base with an RBI, giving Dayton its second and last lead at 3-2. That prompted Summit head coach Kevin Zaleski to remove starting pitcher Gavin Smith after he threw 65 innings in three innings-plus.
Dayton's third and final run of the fourth was scored as the result of a sacrifice fly hit to center field by designated hitter Richie Huber.
Dayton scored its next two runs in the fifth to extend its lead to 6-2. Both came home on a squeeze bunt put down by Nate Goldman, who was safe at first on a throw that was bounced. Coming around to score on the play were Ramirez and Babiarz.
Dayton scored its final four runs in the sixth to go up 10-2. The seventh run was scored on a wild pitch and during the same at-bat, Babiarz came through with a two-run single to center.
An infield RBI-single by Goldman plated Dayton's final run.
Patrick Ferguson, a junior, started the game at first base for Dayton. He then pitched two scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth, allowing only one hit. Ferguson's fifth inning was a 1-2-3 frame that included his only strikeout.
In a game that featured three double plays, Summit executed two 4-6-3 gems in the third and fourth innings, Dayton had a big one in the sixth. With runners on first and third with nobody out, Corea caught a smash at third and then threw to first to get that base runner off the bag.
Dasti came in to pitch the seventh and after a single, a fielder's choice and another single Summit had first and third with one out. After a pop up for the second out, a wild pitch made the score 10-3.
Another infield error saw Summit score again to make it 10-4.
Ryan Flack followed with an RBI-infield single and then right after his at-bat Matt McKeever drilled an RBI-single to left to pull Summit to within four at 10-6. Another run scored on a wild pitch and now Summit trailed 10-7 and still had a baserunner. Dasti then retired Smith on the fly ball to Sieminski, with the game closing at 10 minutes shy of three hours.
"I like that we got contributions from one through nine," Corea said.
Dayton took advantage of 10 base-on-balls issued by the four Summit pitchers.
"Plate discipline is important," Corea said. "We need to keep that up."
Dayton, situated in the UCC's Mountain Division, is coming off a 17-12 season that saw it capture another North 2, Group 1 sectional state championship.
"We have a chance to be even better this year," Ramirez said.
Summit junior first baseman Ben Cohen, batting sixth in the Hilltopper lineup, reached base all four times up. He walked to lead off the second, reached on an error in the fourth, led off the sixth with an opposite field double to right-center and then reached again on an error in the seventh.
Summit, once again in the UCC's Watchung Division, produced an 18-6-1 campaign a year ago, which included a division win against eventual Union County Tournament and Group 2 state champion Gov. Livingston. The Hilltoppers went 8-4 in the Watchung Division last season.
Follow Steve Tober on 'X' @Chattermeister
