Box Score

In game one of a three-game series between two unbeaten teams, Dallas Baptist cruised to a 5-1 win on the road at Sam Houston State on Friday night.  Junior right-hander, Paul Voelker, took the hill in his second start of the season and kept the Bearkat offense in check, allowing just one run over seven innings to earn his second win of the season. 

After both teams missed opportunities to score with the bases loaded in the second inning, DBU struck first with a pair of runs in the third.  With runners at second and third and one out, designated hitter, Daniel Salters, grounded out to short to plate Mike Wesolowski.  The Patriots' next batter, KJ Alexander, ripped a single to center field, scoring Austin Listi from third to give DBU a 2-0 lead.

In the fourth, the Patriots added another run when Wesolowski drove in Justin Wall on a single to left.  DBU would strike for another run in the fifth, as Wall delivered an RBI single through the left side with the bases loaded.  Sam Houston would respond with their lone run of the night in the home half of the fifth on a Hayden Simerly RBI single.

The Patriots would hold onto a 4-1 advantage before adding an insurance run in the top of the 7th.  Up with the bases loaded for the second time on the night, Wall grounded into a double play as Salters crossed home plate.

Leading 5-1 in the 8th, sophomore, Brandon Koch, came out of the bullpen to retire the side in order.  Koch returned to the hill in the 9th and found himself in a jam with runners at first and second and the tying run standing on deck with one out.  The hard-throwing right-hander induced a fly out to right field off the bat of Luke Pluchek and then struck out Colt Atwood to hand DBU their fifth straight win to start the season. 

The victory gives the Patriots their best start since the 2003 season and their best start since joining the NCAA Division I ranks. 

DBU returns to the diamond tomorrow versus Sam Houston State in game two of the three-game series.  First pitch is scheduled for 4 pm.  All the action can be heard on the Patriot Broadcasting Network at www.dbupatriots.com, with the pre-game show beginning at 3:30 pm.