Box Score
The Dallas Baptist University Patriot Baseball Team defeated the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Friday evening by the score of 15-10. With the win, the Patriots improve to 14-7, while the Bulldogs fall to 12-8.
Starting pitcher Jared Stafford pitched three and two thirds innings giving up seven runs on nine hits with two strike outs. Freshman Michael Smith pitched three and one third innings in relief to pick up the win, moving him to 1-0 on the season. Smith allowed three runs on three hits, striking out four Bulldog batters in the win. Freshman Ryan Behmanesh picked up his first save of the year as he stepped in and finished off the Bulldogs pitching two scoreless innings.
Leading the Patriots at the plate was Junior Travis Meiners, who went a perfect 4 for 4 on the day. Meiners hit two homeruns, one double, and one single giving his team seven RBI.
The Patriots opened up scoring early as Junior Ryan Enos led off the first inning with a walk to set up for a Meiners two-run homerun, his second of the year, to give the Patriots the lead, 2-0.
The Bulldogs responded in the top of the second scoring one run off of Stafford.
The Patriots answered scoring five in the bottom of the second as Head led off with a double to center field then went on to score off a RBI single to right field by Senior Clay Kelly. Enos was then hit by a pitch before Meiners stepped up to the plate and hit his second homerun of the game, his third of the year, scoring Kelly and Enos on the play. Junior Ryan Goins then reached on a single to right field, stole second, reached third on a Bulldog error, and then was pushed across by Junior Ryan Thompson to end the inning with the Patriots ahead, 7-1.
The Bulldogs came back to score two runs in the third, before the Patriots answered in the bottom of the inning with two of their own as Enos doubled to left before advancing to third from a Meiners single. Going then crushed a two RBI double to score Meiners and Enos and leave the score, 9-3.
Devon Dageford for the Bulldogs hit a grand slam in the top of the fourth inning to bring Louisiana Tech back within two of the Patriots, 9-7.
DBU extended their lead to 15-7 in the bottom of the fifth inning scoring six runs on the Bulldogs. Bantz walked, advanced to second on a passed ball, and then moved to third on a Kelly single leaving the bases loaded after an Enos walk. Meiners stepped up to the plate and hit a two RBI double to left field to score Bantz and Kelly. Thompson and Krizan followed with walks pushing Enos across to score another. Then Senior Trevor Head hit a two RBI single scoring two more runs for the Patriots to leave the score, 15-7.
The Bulldogs rallied in the top of the seventh to score three off of Smith, and then Behmanesh added two scoreless innings for the Patriots to finish out the game giving the DBU the win, 15-10.
The Patriots are back in action at Patriot Field tomorrow afternoon as they welcome back the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs for the third and final game of the three game series. The first pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.
