THE LEAD
Facing Oregon State in an elimination game at the Dallas Regional on Sunday night, Dallas Baptist stormed past the Beavers, 8-1.  With the win, the Patriots keep their season alive and earn a trip to the regional final on Monday versus Virginia Commonwealth.
 
DBU starter, Sean Stutzman, worked five and two-third innings on the hill, allowing just one run and striking out a career-high seven batters to improve his record to 8-1.  Following Stutzman's brilliant performance out of the pen was junior right-hander, Drew Smith, who tossed three and one-third innings of scoreless relief, surrendering just one hit, while recording four strikeouts.
 
In the bottom of the first, DBU (45-14) struck first when Drew Turbin came in to score from third base on a double play ball of the bat of Justin Wall.  Leading 1-0 in the bottom of the second, the Patriots' Daniel Sweet delivered a lead-off triple into the left centerfield gap to open the inning.  Two batters later, David Martinelli legged out an infield single to the right side, allowing Sweet to score and putting DBU up by two.  With two outs and runners at first and second, Turbin roped a single to left, bringing in Martinelli and staking the Patriots to an early 3-0 lead.
 
On the mound, Stutzman held Oregon State (39-18-1) hitless until Jeff Hendrix reached on a one out single.  The junior lefty worked out of the inning to preserve a 3-0 lead and then picked up an insurance run from the offense in the bottom of the fourth when Camden Duzenack knocked in Chane Lynch on an RBI single to right.

The Beavers would put their lone run on the board in the top of the fifth when Caleb Hamilton doubled to right to bring in Kyle Nobach.  Stutzman worked into the sixth and exited with two outs to a standing ovation from the Patriot faithful in a crowd of 2,297.  From there, Drew Smith retired the first three batters he faced before allowing a single to Noback.  Smith would not allow another base runner the rest of the way as he retired the final seven OSU batters he faced.
 
Leading 4-1 in the bottom of the eighth, the Patriots extended the lead to four runs on an RBI single up the middle from Chane Lynch that plated Nash Knight from second base.  Three batters later, DBU blew open the game on a two-run home run by Justin Wall to left.  The round-tripper was Wall's second of the day, as he had homered earlier against Texas, and it also pushed his team-leading home run total to 12 on the season. 

In the top of the ninth, Smith retired the side in order to notch his fourth save of the season and in the process, end Oregon State's season.  DBU will now face Virginia Commonwealth, who has won each of their first two games of the tournament.  The Patriots must win two games on Monday over the Rams to punch their ticket to the program's second Super Regional in school history.
 
DBU HEAD COACH, DAN HEEFNER – ON THE WIN AND THE PITCHING PERFOMRANCE TONIGHT
"I thought that was a great team effort today.  I'm really proud of the guys and I thought they kept the momentum going from game one into game two.  Sometimes that can be hard to do when things are going well like that.  You see it all the time in a doubleheader; there can be kind of a lull in the second game, but they picked it right up from the beginning.  I thought that was real big for us to score early in the game; to get three runs in the first two innings.   We also had another great start from Sean and then Drew Smith came in and did a fantastic job out of the bullpen."

DBU HEAD COACH, DAN HEEFNER – ON LOOKING AHEAD TO VCU
"Yeah it is do or die now, so we just get to keep going and I love how they are approaching the game.  They are not taking that as pressure on them, but they are just really enjoying the experience.  We have a great team and the guys really love each other and get along well together.  I think they're just enjoying every opportunity to keep playing another game, and that has kind of been their mindset, to just win and move on and to watch out.  They did a great job today and I think tomorrow they will have the same type of energy and confidence."  
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
13 – DBU outscored Texas and Oregon State in two games today by a total of 13 runs (15-2).
9 – All nine hitters in the Patriot order hit safely tonight versus Oregon State.
11 – Sean Stutzman and Drew Smith combined to strike out 11 batters.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
DBU faces Virginia Commonwealth in the regional final on Monday.  First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m.  If the Patriots win, the two teams will meet again at 5:05 p.m. to determine who advances to the Super Regional.