Box Score

The DBU Patriot Baseball Team hosted TCU for the second of a home-and-home series, Tuesday, dropping a 7-1 decision to the rivals from Fort Worth. The Patriots drop to 23-9 on the season and look to bounce back, Friday, hosting Baylor University at Horner Ballpark.
 
It was a rocky start for DBU starter Drew Smith in Tuesday's contest, as the first three batters reached base, including a bunt single by Boomer White, scoring leadoff man Cody Jones. Smith was able to limit the damage however, coaxing a pair of ground balls, a double play off the bat of Kevin Cron, followed by a ground out by Dylan Fitzgerald, keeping the score at 1-0 in favor of TCU.
 
The Horned Frogs added a pair of runs in the third, scoring on an RBI single by White, as well as Derek Odell scoring from third as White was caught attempting to steal second base. Trailing 3-0, the Patriots tallied a single run in the bottom of the third, as Trevin Sonnier hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Nash Knight who led off the inning with a double.
 
Things went quiet for the next three innings, before the Horned Frogs tallied a pair of insurance runs on a sacrifice bunt from Jones and an Odell RBI single, running the score to 5-1 in favor of the visiting club. Jones and Odell struck again in the ninth, each earning an RBI single to push the TCU lead to the eventual final of 7-1.
 
Mike Wesolowski and Justin Wall joined Knight and KJ Alexander as the four Patriots to tally hits in the contest. Sonnier earned a single RBI, also reaching on a hit by pitch, with Knight scoring the DBU run. Smith took the loss to drop to 2-2, allowing three runs, two of them earned, on five hits, earning a career-high seven strikeouts and walking two.
 
Josh Urban and Joseph Shaw each allowed a pair of runs in relief for the Patriots, with Urban allowing a pair of hits and striking out two in 1 2/3 innings. Shaw allowed three hits in 2 1/3 innings.
 
Odell led the TCU 10-hit attack with three hits, leading four players with multiple hits. The third baseman tallied a pair of RBI and scored once, with Jones leading the club with three RBI. On the mound, Jordan Kipper was in control most of the night, allowing the one run in eight innings, striking out eight and walking one.
 
"We kind of let Kipper cruise through the first part of the game, gave him a couple 10 pitch innings," said DBU Head Coach Dan Heefner. "The mistake our guys made Sunday (at Illinois State) was that we were not aggressive enough, but tonight we were too aggressive."
 
Friday's contest against Baylor is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start. The Patriots will travel to Waco to continue the weekend series, playing the Bears on their home field Saturday and Sunday.