THE LEAD
Dallas Baptist opened their 2015 season with a convincing 15-1 win over Monmouth University on Opening Day at Horner Ballpark.  Behind a strong pitching performance from junior, Joseph Shaw, and a 16 hit parade, the Patriots cruised past Monmouth to win for the sixth time in the past seven years on Opening Day.
 
DBU (1-0) got on the board first when David Martinelli blasted the first home run of the season for the Patriots on the first pitch of his at bat.  Leading 1-0 heading into the fifth, DBU padded their lead with a five run inning, highlighted by back-to-back two run doubles from Camden Duzenack and Daniel Salters.  The Patriots' rally chased Hawks' starter, Chris McKenna, from the game, as the senior right-hander allowed six earned runs in 4.1 innings on the hill.
 
Back on the mound for his sixth inning of work, DBU's Shaw received some help from his defense, as the Patriots turned their third double play of the night.  The right-hander completed the sixth by holding Monmouth (0-1) scoreless and finished the night with six scoreless innings and six strikeouts.

Leading 6-0 in the bottom half of the sixth, DBU erupted for seven more runs.  A lead-off walk by Daniel Sweet started a string of seven consecutive batters coming to the plate before Monmouth could record an out.  After Drew Turbin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Duzenack drove in two more runs on a two run single to center field.  RBI singles then from Salters and Tagg Duce made it 11-0, followed by a bases loaded walk to Sweet and an RBI from Trooper Reynolds on a fielders choice staked the Patriots to a 13-0 lead.
 
Monmouth would plate their only run of the game in the seventh inning off of DBU reliever, Trevor Conn, when Kyle Perry reached on a throwing error and Shaine Hughes crossed home plate,
 
The Patriots added two more runs in their half of the seventh when brothers, Tagg and Matt Duce, each delivered RBI singles to put DBU up 15-1.

As the third pitcher of the night, freshman, Seth Elledge, came out of the pen to work a scoreless ninth, striking out Tyler Saito to end the game.
 
DBU HEAD COACH, DAN HEEFNER – ON JOSEPH'S SHAW'S OUTING
"Joseph came out and did a good job of competing and staying composed in his first start in the Friday night role.  He had good command of his stuff tonight and was able to get some nice defensive plays made behind him."
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
34 - Number of runs scored in the Patriots' last two season openers. 
7 - In his two career games on Opening Day at DBU, Camden Duzenack has totaled seven RBI's.
5 - Number of total runs scored and RBI's from the top two spots in DBU's lineup  (Turbin & Duzenack)
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
DBU and Monmouth play in game two of their three game series Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm.  Sophomore left-hander, Landon Wilson, makes his debut in a Patriot uniform against Monmouth's T.J. Hunt.