THE LEAD
No. 26 DBU lost to No. 22 Oklahoma State 7-6 on Tuesday night at Horner Ballpark. In front of a crowd of 1,321, right fielder Austin Listi hit a bases-clearing double to highlight a four-run seventh inning, but the comeback fell short.
 
Tyler Buffett (3-1) earned the win for the Cowboys, allowing just two runs on three hits with seven strikeouts in six innings. MD Johnson (2-1) suffered the loss after giving up four runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings. Blake Battenfield (1) picked up the save, throwing two perfect innings with three strikeouts.
 
Oklahoma State hit two bases-loaded singles to take a 3-0 lead before DBU recorded the first out. The Cowboys added a fourth run in the second on a sacrifice fly to deep center field by Donnie Walton. After Johnson loaded the bases in the third inning, coach Dan Heefner went to his bullpen, bringing in freshman Jordan Martinson.
 
The Patriots trimmed the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the third when left fielder Justin Wall grounded out to second with runners at second and third, allowing catcher Matt Duce to score. OSU regained a four-run lead in the fifth on an RBI single off the bat of Andrew Rosa. The Cowboys extended the lead to 7-1 on back-to-back bases-loaded hit-by-pitches.
 
DBU chipped away at the OSU lead in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI double by first baseman Darick Hall that scored shortstop Camden Duzenack from first base. The Patriots cut the lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the seventh after reliever Michael Mertz walked the bases loaded, followed by another RBI groundout by Wall. Two batters later, Listi ripped a bases-clearing double to left-center field to bring DBU within one run.
 
COACH DAN HEEFNER – ON BATTLING BACK FROM DOWN 7-1
"I thought we did a good job battling back. I was proud of the resiliency that we showed, but we've got to do a better job on cutting down on the mistakes.  We had too many errors and free passes that allowed them to build a lead and we've got to work on getting those things fixed."
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 - DBU pitchers were tough with two outs as OSU went 0-for-7 on the night.
 - The Patriots went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
 - DBU's 2-3-4 hitters combined for four RBIs and three runs in the loss.
 
IN THE NUMBERS
12 – The DBU pitching staff forced OSU to strand 12 runners on base.
1,321 – Tuesday's crowd was the eighth-largest in Horner Ballpark history.
4 – Four of the Cowboys' eight strikeouts were looking.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
DBU travels to Monroe, Louisiana, for a three-game series with the University of Louisiana-Monroe, beginning Friday, March 18, at 6 p.m.