THE LEAD
Dallas Baptist kept their postseason hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Virginia Commonwealth in an elimination game in the finals of the Dallas Regional.  DBU's junior closer, Brandon Koch, came out of the bullpen in the fifth inning and preserved a one-run lead over the next four-plus innings, allowing just two hits while matching a career-high with seven strikeouts.
 
DBU (46-14) opened the scoring in the top of the first when the Patriots struck for their only two runs of the game.  Drew Turbin led off the inning with a single to left and would eventually come around to score on a two-out single to right by Daniel Sweet.  One batter later, Chane Lynch laced a single to right-center, scoring Justin Wall from second.

Leading 2-0, freshman right-hander Dalton Higgins surrendered his only run of the day when VCU tacked on a run in the bottom of the second.  A lead-off walk issued to Vimael Machin led to the Rams' only run, as Machin eventually reached third base and came in to score on a double play ball.  Higgins would escape the second inning with the lone run allowed and would surrender just the one earned run through four and one-third innings of work before giving way to Koch.
 
With the tying run standing on second in the fifth inning, Koch escaped the VCU (39-23) threat by striking out Logan Farrar and then getting Daane Berezo to ground out.  Koch would keep the Rams' offense in check the rest of the way, as he shutdown VCU's offense over the next four innings. 
 
In the ninth, Koch struck out James Bunn for the final out of the game and notched his career-high seventh strikeout in the process.   With the win, DBU will meet Virginia Commonwealth in the final game of the Dallas Regional on Monday afternoon, with the winner advancing to the Super Regional.
 
DBU HEAD COACH, DAN HEEFNER – ON THE WIN AND BRANDON KOCH'S PERFORMANCE OUT OF THE PEN
"It was just a great game I thought, well played on both sides and well-pitched. Dalton gave us a good start and made an adjustment after he lost the zone a little bit and then that is what Brandon has been like all year for us. He has never gone that long, but he has been that dominating."
 
DBU HEAD COACH, DAN HEEFNER – ON KOCH WORKING FOUR-PLUS INNINGS
"Brandon's a competitor, you see what he looks like, he is really strong, well-trained, and rested.  I didn't feel for one second and neither did our pitching coach, Wes Johnson, that we were putting him (Koch) at risk doing that. In a game situation like this and your season is on the line, you want your best guy out there and he delivered for us."
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
1 – Chane Lynch picked up the only extra-base hit on the day between the two teams with a double.
65 – Pitches thrown by Brandon Koch matched a career-high.
28 – Drew Turbin has now reached base safely in 28 straight games.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
DBU faces Virginia Commonwealth in the championship of the Dallas Regional with the winner advancing to the NCAA Super Regional.  First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 pm.