THE LEAD
DBU defeated No. 5 TCU 9-1 on Tuesday night at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. Right fielder David Martinelli went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBIs, which came on a three-run homerun that fueled an eight-run seventh inning for the Patriots.
 
Sean Stutzman (4-1) earned the win after tossing two innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts. Ryan Burnett (1-1) suffered the loss, giving up five runs on two hits to start the seventh inning.
 
Starting pitcher Jordan Martinson made quick work of the Horned Frogs in the first inning, striking out the side. TCU got on the board in the second after catcher Garrett Wolforth's errant throw went into left field, allowing Luken Baker to come home.  After hitting three singles to load the bases in the fourth, the Patriots leveled the score on a walk of right fielder Daniel Sweet. TCU recorded its first hit on an Evan Skoug single in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
DBU loaded the bags again with two outs in the fifth but was unable to put any runs on the board. The Patriots erupted for eight runs in the seventh inning, led by homeruns off the bats of Martinelli and Wolforth.

DBU HEAD COACH, DAN HEEFNER, ON THE 8-RUN 7TH INNING
"I thought we had put together some good at-bats prior to the seventh and then we were finally able to break through that inning.  I think it started with a great bunt by Jameson Hannah and then David Martinelli getting the home run against a really good left-hander.  Then Daniel Sweet to get a double in a two-strike situation and Garrett Wolforth to hit the first pitch he saw out were also two really big at-bats in the inning.  It was just a good approach by a lot of different guys."
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 -  David Martinelli's seventh-inning homerun was his fourth since returning to the lineup on March 25.
 - The Patriots' bullpen has not allowed a run in 15 consecutive innings.
 - DBU's pitchers struckout a season-high 13 batters on Tuesday.
 
IN THE NUMBERS
3 – Landon Wilson pitched three scoreless innings in his third straight appearance, and Jameson Hannah recorded three hits for the third straight game.
4 – DBU hitters were hit by pitches four times in the eight-run seventh inning.
16 – Daniel Sweet reached base for a team-high 16th straight game.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
DBU hosts Southern Illinois in a three-game weekend series beginning Friday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m. at Horner Ballpark.