DALLAS BAPTIST @ STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
March 25 | Nacogdoches, Texas | Jaycees Field
 
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
Video/Audio: Patriot Broadcasting Network
Livestats: SFA Livestats
Facebook: DBU Athletics
 
SERIES INFORMATION
Dates: March 25, 2014
Time: 6:30 PM
Stadium: Jaycees Field (500)
Broadcast: Patriot Broadcasting Network
Talent: Reagan Ratcliff and Nate Frieling
 
PROBABLE STARTERS
 
Tuesday, March 25
DBU – Cody Beam RHP (0-1  9.00 ERA  1 IP)
vs.
SFA – Chris Hassold LHP (0-1  4.15 ERA  8.2 IP)
 
FIRST PITCH – The Dallas Baptist Baseball Team dropped its first series at home, after back-to-back defeats in the first pair of games from the weekend series versus Utah Valley University.  The first two losses of the series extended DBU's season-long losing streak to three games before the Patriots (16-7) snapped the skid with a 4-1 victory in the finale.
 
DBU travels to Stephen F. Austin for a Tuesday match-up at 6:30 PM.
 
Seven of the next eight contests for the Patriots are away from Horner Ballpark, with the club posting a 5-4 record on the road.  DBU claimed its lone sweep away from the friendly confines the last time on the road over Missouri Valley Conference opponent, Missouri State.  Following the weekend set, the Patriots were bested by No. 15 University of Texas in a 5-0 decision.
 
The Patriots Baseball Team eclipsed its best start in program history, 13-4 at the time, since joining the NCAA Division I ranks with a victory two weeks ago at Missouri State University.
 
WEEKEND RECAP – After dropping the first two of a three-game series, DBU claimed the final affair over Utah Valley at Horner Ballpark on Sunday.  The Patriots relied on timely hitting and lights out pitching from sophomores, Cory Talyor, and Sean Stutzman, to capture the victory.
 
The defending MVC Pitcher of the Week tossed seven strong innings for the second consecutive week, now surpassing six innings or more in his past three appearances.  A right-hander from Owasso, Oklahoma, Taylor held the Wolverines at bay most of Sunday afternoon, limiting UVU to a run on two hits.
 
He fanned 10 batters, which is one shy from a career-high last week set at Missouri State.  It's the second outing the righty has notched double figures in the strikeout category, and he now sits tied for most on the staff with 41.  His totals are even with Friday's hurler, Paul Voelker.
 
The Patriots only smacked five hits on the day, but were able to manufacture four runs.  Junior, Nash Knight, had the lone extra base hit with a double, and scored  two runs.  Seniors, KJ Alexander, and Mike Wesolowski, posted multi-hit performances to join Knight in the hit column for DBU.  Alexander added an RBI, one of three in the victory for a Patriots squad that avoided their first sweep of the year. 
 
Junior, Cy Sneed, turned in a solid outing in Saturday's come from behind win for the Wolverines.  The native of Twin Falls, Idaho, allowed one run on five hits and struck out five in seven innings.  In six starts this year, the right-hander has hurled at least 5.2 innings in each outing and has gone seven or more in each of his last three starts.
 
Things unraveled for the home club late in game two of the series, as Utah Valley tacked five runs on the board in the ninth inning, to complete the come from behind effort.  It's the second time this year that DBU has lost a game after leading in the eighth.
 
On Friday, the Patriots fell for just the second time on the campaign at Horner Ballpark with a 10-5 defeat.  It was the club's straight second loss and marked the consecutive series opener defeat after Oral Roberts blemished the Patriots a couple weeks ago.
 
Voelker worked 5.1 innings, giving up a season-high six runs off 10 hits.  Trailing 5-0 after three and a half innings, the Patriots battled back with a four-run inning in the fourth frame.  Freshman, David Martinelli, rocked a two-RBI double to left center to open the scoring.  Alexander reached on an error later to help plate Knight and Martinelli.
 
Utah Valley outscored the home club, 5-1, in the final four frames to secure the series opener.  Martinelli contributed to the final run with his second homer of the campaign.
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH  – Mike Wesolowski remains the top batter on the squad, carrying a team-best .318 batting average with 28 hits on the season.  The first baseman combined for three hits this past weekend, including a multi-hit display in Sunday's triumph.  He also scored twice in Friday's and Sunday's contest, boosting his season total to 21 for second on the club and ranks third in the MVC.
 
Sophomore, Daniel Salters, leads the squad and is second in the league with 22 runs scored, three of which came in the past series with Utah Valley.  The catcher produced a two-for-three day with a homerun and a double in Saturday's game.
 
The native of Eufaula, Oklahoma, smacked his seventh double on the campaign in his seventh multi-hit effort, ranking him only behind DBU freshman, Camden Duzenack, with eight.  Salters also is second in the home run category with three.
 
Sophomore, Austin Listi, leads the club with five long balls on the season. He only had one hit versus the Wolverines, but did drive in a run back-to-back games over the weekend, including one that was instrumental in the 4-1 final.  
 
Martinelli has smacked a base hit in seven of the past 10 games. The outfielder had a huge night in Friday's opener, knocking a team-high three RBI, including his second homer of the season. He scored twice and went 2-for-3 in the contest.   The native of Waxahachie, Texas, has compiled a .291 batting average for second best on the team.
 
ON THE BUMP – The Patriots have established a tough pitching presence in the early part of the year.  Through 212.2 innings, DBU hurlers have allowed 86 runs, 69 earned, to compile a 2.91 ERA.  In addition, the Patriots lead the Missouri Valley Conference with 219 punch outs.
 
Brandon Koch continues to lead the staff with a 1.20 ERA.  The Plano, Texas, native has posted 25 strikeouts and went 14 consecutive innings without an opponent crossing the plate.  That string came to a close though on Saturday when the righty gave up a run on two hits in an inning of work.
 
Sophomore, Sean Stutzman, continues his strong campaign with a 1.45 ERA.  He passed redshirt senior, Josh Urban, on most innings pitched out of the pen with 18.2 total.  He threw four scoreless innings combined in two games this weekend and earned the save in Sunday's win.  The native of Rolling Meadows, Illinois, has allowed two runs in his past 12.1 innings.
 
Wrapping up the trio of hurlers with ERA under 2.00 is Urban. He's displayed a 1.96 clip in 18.1 innings thrown. The native of Austin, Texas, has 20 punch outs, ranking second among relievers.
 
SCOUTING THE LUMBERJACKS - SFA (10-11) enters the week going 4-3 at its home confines, and is 3-7 in the last 10 games. The Lumberjacks still have a match-up on Monday at Northwestern State University, and then will welcome DBU for their sixth contest in seven days.
 
The last time out on Sunday resulted in a 7-5 victor for SFA.  Mackenzie Handel sparked most of the offense, clobbering the ball around the diamond for a three-for-four day at the dish, and a game-high four RBI.
 
Connor Fikes, Ricardo Sanchez, and Zach Marberry all recorded multi-hit affairs in the winning effort.  Brett Thornell and Marberry added an RBI apiece.
 
Despite an early edge, the Demons battled back and trailed 6-5 after five innings, but an insurance run and 4.2 shutout innings by the bullpen kept things in SFA's favor.
 
Fikes paces the club with a .359 batting average, followed by Matthew Dickery with a .354 clip and a team-best 29 hits.
 
Mackenzie is the top slugger, entering as the team leader with five homers and a .608 slugging percentage.  He's also batting .338.  Rounding out the top five with above .300 clips are Marberry and Rick Cruz at .324 and .308, respectively.  
 
SERIES HISTORY – The Patriots lead the all-time series 9-3 against SFA, with the clubs splitting the season series in 2013, 1-1.  Each visiting squad won at the opposing venue that year, and Head Coach, Dan Heefner, moved to 6-1 in his career versus the Lumberjacks.
 
In DBU's victory at Nacogdoches, Texas, the visiting club outhit the 'Jacks 9-6 and edged out a late rally to prevail 5-3.  After leading by four runs through five and a half innings, SFA etched a run in each of the next three innings.  An insurance run opened the ninth and Voelker slammed the door in the ninth to earn the save.
 
Senior, Cody Beam, earned the start that game, tossing 5.2 innings, allowing a run on two hits while walking one and fanning five. 
 
UP NEXT – Dallas Baptist will open MVC Conference play for the first time in program history with a three-game set at Bradley University.  First pitch for the contests are at 6 PM, 2 PM, and 1 PM on Friday-Sunday, respectively.
 
Following the trio of conference affairs, the Patriots are back at Horner Ballpark on April 1 versus Texas Southern University for a 6:30 first pitch.  After that, DBU travels to face Illinois State University April 4-6 in consecutive MVC three-game slates.