Box Score

The Patriots Baseball team took on the Lumberjacks from Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday night at Patriot Field.  DBU, who has struggled to hit with runners in scoring position all year, continued when they left 15 men on base in a 4-3 loss to SFA.  With the loss, DBU fell to 20-18, while SFA improved to 21-18 with the victory.

The Lumberjacks jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after lead off hitter Zach Gardner singled, stole second, and advanced to third off a wild pitch by DBU's starting pitcher Junior Tyson Bagley.  Gardner then scored when right fielder Jared Pitts smoked a double down the right field line.

The Patriots answered SFA's run with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the first inning.  Freshman Austin Knight led off the inning with a single to left field and scored when Senior Garrett Baker hit a two run home run over the centerfield wall, which gave Baker a team high 10 homeruns on the season.

SFA re took the lead in the top of the third inning on a two out, two RBI double.  Stephen Hill walked to start the rally and advanced to third off a single by Pitts.  Each runner then scored to give the Lumberjacks a 3-2 lead, when Kevin Crabtree came through with the two out hit.

DBU tied the game up in the bottom of the sixth inning after Junior Nick Santos drove a single to right field and advance to second off a hit batsman.  Santos then scored the tying run off a two out RBI single by Sophomore Brandon Bantz.

The Lumberjacks regained the lead for good in the top half of the seventh when first baseman Stephen Hill hit a solo home run over the left field wall to give SFA a 4-3 lead.

Picking up the loss for the Patriots was Junior Brett Lester, who came into relief for Bagley and pitched 2.0 innings, allowing one run on one hit, while Kevin Thomas picked up the victory for SFA to improve to 2-3 on the season.

Leading DBU at the plate, was Baker, who went 2 for 5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Bantz contributed with two hits in four at bats and an RBI.  Junior Austin Krum raised his average after going two for four, while Freshman Austin Knight and Santos each had one hit.

The Patriots will be in action again on Thursday night at 7:00, when they welcome UT Pan Am to Patriot Field for a three game series.