Box Score
DBU's baseball team smashed 23 hits and scored 22 runs to defeat a University of Northern Colorado team that pounded 21 hits and scored 15 runs. The 22-15 shootout victory on Friday night pushed the Patriots record to 28-11, while UNC fell to 14-27.
Each team scored at least one run in the first five innings, with eight runs being scored in the fourth and then seven in the fifth, to make the score 14-12 after five innings of play. Juniors Trevor Head and Brandon Bantz each had a homerun during first five innings, with Bantz being a two run bomb.
The next three innings saw each team not a score a run until the ninth inning. The top of the ninth started with Sophomore Ryan Goins singling, stealing second, and advancing to third on an error by UNC's catcher. Junior Evan Bigley was then walked and advanced to third base when Senior Drew Pirtle grounded to the third baseman, who threw the baseball into the outfield. Senior Nick Santos drove in the base runners on a two RBI single up the middle. Head then doubled down the left field line, which moved Santos over to third base. Bantz stepped to the plate and hit his second homerun of the game, this time the three run fashion. The Patriots scored their final two runs of the inning after Sophomore Ryan Enos drove in Sophomore Austin Knight and Junior Clay Kelly on a single to centerfield.
The Bears tried to make it interesting in the bottom of the ninth inning but were only able to score three runs to cut the lead to 22-15.
DBU used four pitchers to pull out the victory, with Senior Wayne Dowling picking up the win after he threw 2.0 innings, allowing no runs on two hits, and striking out two. Freshman Chris Haney picked up the save going 3.0 innings, allowing three runs on five hits, while striking out five.
Head led the way with four hits in six at bats, with two RBI, and three runs scored, while Bigley, Enos, and Goins each finished with three hits. Bigley also had four RBI and four runs scored, while Bantz finished with five RBI and two hits.
The Patriots and Bears will finish out their three game series on Saturday afternoon when they play a doubleheader beginning at 11:00.
