THE LEAD
Dallas Baptist had their 2015 season come to a close as the Patriots fell 3-1 to Virginia Commonwealth in the championship game of the Dallas Regional on Monday night at Horner Ballpark.  DBU (46-15) fell behind 2-0 in the second inning and could never recover, as the Patriots fall one win shy of advancing to the NCAA Super Regionals for the second time in school history. 
 
With DBU's ace of the pitching staff, Joseph Shaw, taking the mound for the second time in the tournament, the junior right-hander struggled in the second inning after retiring the Rams in order in the first.  A lead-off walk of Vimael Machin in the second opened the door for the Rams.  VCU's Brett Hileman followed with a single and then a walk to Jimmy Kerrigan loaded the bases.  With nobody out, Shaw hit James Bunn to plate the first run of the game.  With the bases still full for VCU (40-23), the Rams added another run on a ground ball out to the right side by Cody Acker.

Down 2-0 in the top of the second, Chance Adams would enter the game in relief of Shaw and worked out of the jam by striking out Walker Haymaker and then getting Logan Farrar to fly out to center.

Still trailing by two runs into the bottom of the fourth, the Patriots opened the door for a rally with a lead-off double by Camden Duzenack.  A single by Justin Wall put runners at second and third with nobody out, but DBU could manage only one run in the inning when Daniel Sweet grounded out to second to bring home Duzenack. 
 
Adams would keep the deficit at one until the Rams struck for an insurance run in the sixth.  In the seventh, Adams was replaced by Jay Calhoun after he threw a season high four and two-third innings and struck out six, while allowing just the lone run.  Calhoun would keep the VCU offense scoreless over the next two innings before giving way to Drew Smith in the ninth.
 
Down 3-1 into the bottom of the ninth, Justin Wall placed a single into left field to bring the tying run to the plate.  After a couple of ground outs to the right side moved Wall to third, Chane Lynch's ground ball back up the middle was snagged by VCU shortstop, Vimael Machin, and Lynch was thrown out at first to end the game and hand the Rams the Dallas Regional championship.
 
DBU HEAD COACH, DAN HEEFNER – ON VCU WINNING THE TITLE AND THE  2015 SEASON
"First, I think we have to say hats off to VCU. They did a great job and are a great team too. I don't think they are a team that just got hot one weekend.  They are extremely balanced, pitched extremely well, played defense, they did it all. They won the tournament. They gave up six runs in four games, so they rightfully deserve to win this thing. I know for our guys, they really hurt right now, but I think they have a lot to really be proud of. This is a program that has a pretty storied history, and I believe without a doubt that they elevated this program. To win 46 games, which is a Division I record for us, to host a regional, and to battle back after losing the first game the way they did yesterday and again today; I am really proud of them and what they accomplished and what they did for our program and our university too."
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5 – DBU graduates five seniors: Jay Calhoun, Tagg Duce, Nash Knight, Chane Lynch, and Drew Turbin
215 – Nash Knight played in 215th career game which tied him with his brother, Austin Knight, who played at DBU from 2007-2010, for the same number of career games as a Patriot.
7 – Justin Wall finishes the tournament with seven hits and hit .412 in the Dallas Regional.
 
DALLAS REGIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Most Outstanding Player: Vimael Machin (VCU)
Catcher: Daniel Salters (DBU)
First Base: Chane Lynch (DBU)
Second Base: Drew Turbin (DBU)
Third Base: Matt Davis (VCU)
Shortstop: Vimael Machin (VCU)
Outfield: Kyle Nobach (OSU)
Outfield: Jerry Kerrigan (VCU)
Outfield: Justin Wall (DBU)
Designated Hitter: Brett Hileman (VCU)
Pitcher: Cory Taylor (DBU)
Pitcher: Matt Lees (VCU)