Box Score

With a chance to win their first road series of the year, Dallas Baptist fell to Sam Houston State 12-2 on Saturday afternoon at Don Sanders Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.  It marks the first loss for DBU (5-1) in 2014, after starting the season on a five-game win streak.
 
Patriot starter, Drew Smith, was saddled with the loss after lasting just one-and-two-thirds of an inning, allowing four runs and five walks.  Four DBU pitchers worked out of the bullpen in relief of Smith, including Philip Orr, Jay Calhoun, Trevor Conn, and Caulin Cragle.  Cragle was the lone reliever to not allow a run, while the trio of Orr, Calhoun, and Conn, combined to allow eight runs on twelve hits.
 
The Patriots struck first in the game when freshman, Camden Duzenack, ripped a single to right, scoring Trevin Sonnier from second base.  The lead would not last long as the Bearkats (6-1) posted four runs in their half of the second.
 
In the third, Dallas Baptist responded with a solo blast to left off the bat of sophomore, Austin Listi.  The homerun was the first of 2014 for last year's Freshman All-American.  Sam Houston State would respond though, adding three more runs, highlighted by a two-run double to right by Ryan O'Hearn.
 
The Bearkats struck for two more runs in the fourth, after Hayden Simerly came home to score on a Corey Toups single to left.  Two batters later, Toups touched home on a Luke Pluckeck single to make it 9-2 SHSU.
 
In the sixth, Sam Houston State plated two more runs on a two-run single by Ryan Farney.  The Bearkats final run of the game would eventually come in the seventh inning, when Anthony Azar score from third base on a wild pitch by Conn.
 
Bearkat starter, Andrew Godail, earned his second win of the year, scattering two runs over five innings, while freshman reliever, Sam Odom, gave SHSU four solid scoreless innings of relief to earn the first save of his career.
 
"It all starts with pitching and tonight walks hurt us," DBU Head Coach, Dan Heefner said.  "Drew Smith is going to win a lot of games for us during his time here, it was just one of those nights where he had a tough time finding the strike zone and they were able to deliver key hits with men on."
 
The rubber game of the three game series between DBU and Sam Houston State is slated for tomorrow at 1 pm.  Junior, Cy Sneed, gets the ball for the Patriots.  Sneed earned the win in his first outing of the year last week, allowing two earned runs in six innings versus Mississippi Valley State.  SHSU sends sophomore, Dirk Masters (1-0), to the hill.
 
Live audio coverage of tomorrow's game is available on the Patriot Broadcasting Network at www.dbupatriots.com/showcase, with the Patriots Pre-Game Show starting at 12:30 pm.