Box Score

A bases loaded single off the bat of Siena's Vincent Citro scored the game winning run and brought the Dallas Baptist Baseball Team's 2014 season to a close, in a 9-8 loss to Siena on Saturday at the Fort Worth Regional.  Sixteen base on balls issued by the Patriot pitching staff and timely hitting by the Saints allowed Siena to mount an epic comeback, after DBU (40-21) had opened up a 7-0 through the first inning and a half. 

The Patriots struck for five runs in the first inning, highlighted by a KJ Alexander two run single.  DBU chased Siena (27-32) starter, Ed Lewick, from the mound in the top of the second after a double by Mike Wesolowski ran the Patriot lead to 6-0.  An Austin List RBI single later in the inning off of Siena reliever, Neil Fryer, gave DBU a commanding 7-0 lead.

The Saints would not go away quietly, as Siena struck for two runs in the bottom of the second off of Patriot starter, Paul Voelker.  The junior right-hander would make a quick exit in the third after surrendering a lead-off single and two walks. 

Siena made the Patriots pay for the free passes, as the Saints plated all three runs in the third.  An error by Nash Knight in the inning also contributed to one of the Siena runs, as the DBU lead slipped to 7-5 after three innings.

In the fourth, Siena cut the Patriot lead down to one when Dan Swain laced a two out double off of Joseph Shaw.  Andres Ortiz's attempt to tie the game fell short, when Camden Duzenack's throw on the relay throw from Justin Wall in right center gunned down the potential tying run.

DBU held a 7-6 lead into the seventh when walks once again came back to haunt the Patriot pitching staff.  A two out single by Citro and two free passes loaded the bases for John Rooney with two outs.  Rooney sent a Drew Smith pitch into left field, scoring the tying and go-ahead runs.

Trailing 9-8 in the ninth and facing Siena's closer in Fryer, who had tossed eight straight scoreless innings, DBU's Justin Wall tied the game on a triple to deep center that scored Daniel Salters.  With a chance to take the lead, DBU could not plate Wall from third, as David Martinelli grounded out to second and Alexander flew out to right.

After Siena went quietly in the ninth, the Patriots and Saints made the trek to extra innings.  Once again, Fryer tossed a scoreless ninth and set the stage for DBU's Brandon Koch to take the hill in the tenth.  In his third inning of work, the Patriots' closer got into trouble with a lead-off walk.  After a fielder's choice and a single, Koch struck out Dave Hoffman.  With two outs, Koch's fifth walk of the day loaded the bases for Citro. 

With a 1-0 count, Citro grounded a ball up the middle, going in and out of the glove of Duzenack, allowing Ortiz to score from third and ending the Patriots' season.  The loss was the second one-run loss of the Fort Worth Regional for the Patriots.  DBU entered this weekend 14-4 in one-run affairs and owned the second highest win percentage in the nation in one-run games.  The Patriots finish the season 40-21, after advancing to the NCAA Regional Tournament for the third time in the last four years.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
1             Today marked the first loss in the 29 games this year when DBU has scored at least six runs or more.
16           Number of walks issued by the Patriot pitching staff today.
129         Number of pitches that Siena closer, Neil Fryer, threw today.  His previous high this year had been 42 against the University of Central Florida on                February 15.
27.1        Consecutive scoreless innings before Brandon Koch surrendered the run in the tenth inning. 
5             Seniors that DBU graduates this year: KJ Alexander, Cody Beam, RJ Talamantes, Josh Urban, Mike Wesolowski