THE LEAD
No. 29 DBU defeated Baylor 5-3 on Friday night after a four-run rally in the fifth inning eliminated a 3-0 deficit. Designated hitter David Martinelli went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored to help lead DBU in their come from behind win on Friday night at Horner Ballpark.
 
Colin Poche (3-0) earned the win for the Patriots after tossing six innings and giving up three runs on five hits with four strikeouts. Daniel Castano (2-3) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on six hits in 7 2/3 innings of work. Seth Elledge (6) picked up the four-out save after escaping the ninth inning with two runners on.
 
The Bears jumped out to an early lead with a pair of two-out RBI singles in the first inning. Poche settled in after the opening inning, retiring 10 consecutive Baylor hitters into the fifth inning. The Bears continued to do damage with two outs on a double by Steven McLean that knocked in Josh Bissonette.
 
The Patriots responded in the bottom of the fifth with a four-run attack, beginning with a bases-loaded RBI single off the bat of Connor Hall. Castano walked the next two batters to even the score at 3-3, and a fielder's choice on a groundball by Austin Listi brought Hall across the plate to take a 4-3 lead. DBU added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when Jameson Hannah reached on a fielding error by Justin Arrington that allowed David Martinelli to cross the plate.
 
COACH DAN HEEFNER – ON THE WIN
"I was proud of the bounce back after yesterday. We really didn't have anything going against [Castano]. Nobody tried to get big or do it themselves."
 
SETH ELLEDGE – ON HIS SAVE
"I had a lot of adrenaline tonight. I tried to attack the hitters with my best fastball."
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
-The DBU pitching staff held Baylor to just one hit on nine at bats with two outs over the final eight innings.
-Patriots pitchers were perfect against all nine leadoff hitters.
-Colin Poche increased his strikeout-to-walk ratio to 26:8 with four putouts and two base-on-balls.
 
IN THE NUMBERS
1,412 – Friday's attendance was the seventh-largest in Horner Ballpark history.
1 – The bottom four hitters in the DBU order recorded one hit and one run each.
7 – The Patriots pitching staff forced Baylor to leave seven men on base.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
DBU travels to Abilene, Texas, for a one-game series with Abilene Christian on Tuesday, March 29, at 6:30 p.m.