Box Score

Michael Miller hit a three-run homerun in the fifth inning while Jake Johansen (7-6) and Aaron Gilbreath limited the Texas State (28-29) offense to lead Dallas Baptist (29-29) to a 7-5 win on Friday afternoon at the WAC Tournament. For DBU, the win evens their record in the three-game pool play to 1-1 with a 3:00 pm contest looming on Saturday against New Mexico State. The Patriots will need to win that game and have UT-Arlington lose both their remaining games to qualify for Sunday's championship round and a chance at an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

The Patiots jumped out to a one-run lead in the first inning off Texas State starter Taylor Black as Ronnie Mitchell walked and Boomer Collins singled to open the frame. Mitchell moved to third on a flyball off the bat of Duncan McAlpine before Miller picked up the first of his four RBI on the day with a shot off the glove of Taylor to score Mitchell. Texas State tied the score, however, in the second off Johansen before DBU regained the lead after Mike Wesolowski and Austin Listi singled to open the bottom of that inning. Their lone run would score as Justin Wall's sacrifice bunt moved the runners up and a muffed throw on the play at first base allowed Wesolowski to cross the plate. The Patriots had a chance to break the game open, much like Wednesday night against UTA, in that inning as Nash Knight was hit by pitch to load the bases but a groundout, strikeout, and lineout by the top of the order ended the threat and kept the game 2-1 to the third inning.

The Patriots did their damage in the fifth inning when Collins walked and McAlpine doubled against relief pitcher Covey Morrow to start the inning. After a pitching change, Miller crushed a ball to left field for his seventh homerun of the season, all away from his home field, and DBU had a 5-1 cushion. Wesolowski also picked up an RBI in the inning on his way to a three-hit game.

Johansen put zeroes on the board in the fourth and fifth inning on his way to 5.1 innings pitched while allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out seven. He was lifted in the sixth for Gilbreath after allowing the Bobcats to load the bases on two walks and a single with one out. The first batter Gilbreath faced plated a run with a groundball right down the first base line but Chane Lynch limited the damage with a run-saving dive to his left and a flip to Gilbreath covering for the second out of the inning and induced a pop out to end the threat with only one run across.

That play would loom large as the Patriot bats went cold in the final innings and Gilbreath allowed a three-run homerun in the eighth but the senior lefthander stayed on for the final outs of the game and collected his first save of the season.

The Patriots will need help from New Mexico State and Texas State as both must win their games for the Patriots to advance to Sunday play. The Patriots must also win their game Saturday at 3:00 pm against the Aggies. Listen live on dbupatriots.com/showcase to catch every pitch from the WAC Tournament in 2013.