Box Score

The Dallas Baptist Patriot Baseball Team rallied to score three runs in the ninth inning against Southern Illinois, defeating the Salukis, 6-5. Junior Kenny Hatcher drove in the game winning run for DBU, improving the Patriots to 14-9 on the season.

Sophomore Aaron Gilbreath threw seven and a third innings, giving up five runs on five hits, but it was Sophomore Jake Johansen who picked up the win for the Patriots after coming on in the eighth and getting the final out. Senior Chris Haney closed out the game for DBU as he earned his seventh save of the season.

Just as in game one, the Salukis were first on the board, putting up two runs in the bottom half of the third. A leadoff single by Jake Welch resulted Southern Illinois' first run, after he advanced around the bases and later scored on a RBI single from Wes Neece.

The Patriots added their first run in the fourth, thanks to a pair of singles by Junior Kenny Hatcher and Sophomore Logan Brumley. After Junior Landon Anderson reached on a Saluki fielding error to load the bases, Freshman KJ Alexander picked up his 14th RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Hatcher, and pulling the Patriots to within one, 2-1.

Southern Illinois increased their lead in the sixth as they picked up a pair of hits and scored one run to take a 3-1 lead.

Junior Joel Hutter evened the game at three runs apiece in the top of the eighth with his first homerun of the season. Hutter sent the 1-0 pitch over the left field wall, scoring Junior Ryan Behmanesh who had reached on a leadoff single.

A two-run eighth by the Salukis recaptured a 5-3 lead for Southern Illinois and set the stage for the Patriot rally in the ninth.

After a leadoff walk by Alexander, Senior Tyler Robbins singled through the left side to give DBU runners on first and second with only one out. Senior Jason Krizan pushed Alexander across the plate with a RBI single up the middle, pulling the Patriots to within one run. A pair of wild pitches advanced both runners and resulted in another Patriot run, as Robbins crossed the plate to tie the game at five.

With the go-ahead run only 90 feet away, Hatcher delivered his 22nd RBI of the season with a single to third base, giving DBU their first lead of the game, 6-5.

With a one-run lead, Haney entered the game and made quick work of the Salukis in the ninth. The closer retired the side in order with three consecutive strikeouts to seal the Patriots' 14th win of the season.

DBU will close out the series against the Salukis with game three on Saturday afternoon. The first pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.