The Dayton Flyers clinched the top seed in the Atlantic 10 Softball Championship, finishing the regular season with an impressive 18-5 conference record. This double-elimination tournament kicks off on Wednesday at George Washington University, where 6th-seeded Loyola Chicago will face 3rd-seeded Fordham. Dayton, last year's champion, heads into the championship on a seven-game winning streak and boasts the league's top strikeout pitcher, Izzy Kemp, with 162 strikeouts. All games will be broadcast on ESPN+, and admission is free.

By the Numbers
  • Dayton's overall record: 29-16
  • Peyton Pepkowski of Loyola Chicago has 145 strikeouts in conference play.
State of Play
  • Dayton leads the A-10 with a .297 batting average.
  • Loyola Chicago finished 14-12 in conference play, ranking 6th.
What's Next

The tournament starts on May 8, with Loyola Chicago facing Fordham. The winners from Thursday’s games will advance to the semifinals on Friday. Expectations are high for Dayton as they aim to defend their title.

Bottom Line

As the A-10 Championship unfolds, Louisville’s potential for an upset looms, but Dayton's momentum and strong performances from key players position them well as they seek to retain their title.