Box Score

The DBU Patriot Baseball Team earned their sixth straight win, Tuesday at Horner Ballpark, defeating visiting Texas Southern University, 6-3. The non-conference win moves the Patriots to 21-7 overall, dropping the Tigers to 10-17.
 
The Patriots opened the scoring early, tallying a single run in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by Austin Listi. Drew Turbin scored on the play, after reaching on a leadoff single. DBU added another single run in the third, as Daniel Salters drilled a double to left center field, scoring David Martinelli from first. Martinelli, the reigning Missouri Valley Player of the Week, had previously reached on a hit by pitch.
 
With the bases loaded in the fourth, Austin Listi's swing hit the glove of Texas Southern catcher Andrew Garza, scoring Turbin on the interference call to run the Patriot lead to 3-0. Salters produced the fourth DBU run, this time with a sixth-inning triple, again scoring Martinelli, who reached on an infield single to start the inning.
 
Texas Southern broke through in the seventh, as Jag Gordaya drilled a home run over the left field wall, scoring Conor Dishman to cut the DBU lead to 4-2. The Patriots immediately countered with a run in the bottom half of the inning, as Tagg Duce tripled and scored on a Trevin Sonnier single.
 
The Tigers scratched another single run in the eighth, as Jerry Ford scored from third while Zach Welz stayed in a rundown between first and second. The run pulled the visiting club within two, 5-3. DBU added one to push the lead back to three, as Turbin walked with the bases load, scoring KJ Alexander.
 
That would be all the Patriots would need, as Joseph Shaw shut the door in the ninth, earning his fourth save of the season. Drew Smith earned the win to move to 2-1, allowing no runs on two hits in three innings of work. Trevor Conn was equally impressive, allowing no runs on three hits in three innings.
 
"Drew (Smith) looked really good," said DBU Head Coach Dan Heefner. "He has thrown some simulated stuff against our guys, and bullpens, and today he really showed us what he is capable of doing. It is really good to have him back."
 
Turbin was the offensive leader for DBU, reaching base all six trips to the plate, three hits and three walks. The junior also tallied an RBI and scored twice. Mike Wesolowski, Salters, Duce, and Sonnier each earned a pair of hits, with Salters joined by Listi with two RBI a piece. Martinelli tied Turbin for the team lead with two runs scored. One weak spot for the Patriots was hitting with runners on, as the club left 17 runners on base.
 
For the Tigers, Gordaya earned three hits in four at bats, including the home run, adding two RBI and a run scored. Five other players registered hits in the Texas Southern 11-hit attack, compared to 14 total hits for the DBU club. Ryan Rios (2-4) worked three innings, taking the loss after allowing two runs on five hits, walking two and striking out two.
 
DBU takes to the road to continue Missouri Valley Conference play, taking on Illinois State in Normal, Ill. The Patriots then return home, Tuesday, hosting TCU in non-conference play.