THE LEAD
For the second straight game, DBU (26-11, 6-1) and Indiana State (24-15, 4-4)  took part in a tight contest at Bob Warn Field in Terre Haute but, this time, it was a much more offensive-minded affair as the DBU offense did just enough to escape with an 7-6 win to clinch the Missouri Valley Conference series.  Sean Stutzman was credited with the win in relief of Darick Hall and Seth Elledge picked up his second straight save with a scoreless ninth inning. 
 
It was a run in the ninth inning for the Patriots that proved to be the difference in the game as Tim Millard collected three hits on the afternoon and scored the decisive run in the final frame.  He crossed home plate on a two-out bunt single from Daniel Sweet to help DBU hold fast to first place in the MVC with the win.
 
In the first inning, it looked like the Patriot offense was going to take off and run away from the Sycamores as DBU collected three consecutive singles in the frame, the last by Darick Hall to plate David Martinelli and give the Patriots an early lead.
 
That lead would not last long, however, as the Sycamores answered with three base hits of their own in the bottom of the first to tie the game.  Indiana State took the lead in the third with three more hits off Hall to score two runs and take a 3-1 advantage.  In the fourth, they added another run on a couple of hits and a groundout to score the fourth unanswered run after the brief first inning head start by DBU.
 
In the fifth, DBU finally got back on the board to cut the lead to two.  After Matt Duce's leadoff walk was erased on a double play groundout, Tim Millard started a rally with a two-out double.  On batter later, Millar scored when Jameson Hannah scooted a ground ball through the middle of the infield and DBU was down only two runs.
 
They cut that deficit to one in the sixth and finally chased Indiana State starter Tyler Ward with a two-out rally. With nobody aboard, Daniel Sweet singled ahead of line drive base hits from Logan Sepanek and Matt Duce to cut the Sycamore lead to 4-3.  Ward exited the game after 5.2 innings of work, having scattered nine DBU hits while walking only one.
 
Darick Hall returned to the mound to begin the sixth inning, but was not able to get through the frame after giving up a one-out triple to Chris Ayers.  Sean Stutzman came on with a pinch-runner at third after Ayers was lifted due to injury and quickly retired that runner on a botched bunt play and a splendid defensive exchange from Duce and Millard.  That glovework would loom large after Stutzman gave up a two-out single that would have scored another Sycamore run, but, instead ISU left a runner on base after a harmless foul pop out to Logan Sepanek.
 
The Patriot bats came back to life in the seventh.  Millard picked up his second hit of the game with a single to right to lead off the inning and, one out later, David Martinelli and Luke Stratman walked to load the bases for Darick Hall.  With a chance to give DBU a late lead, the big lefthander did not disappoint as he scorched a line drive to left center that cleared the bases and put the Patriots back in front, 6-4.
 
The Sycamores would not go quietly against Stutzman, however, as they picked up three hits and a hit batter to knot the game back at six in the bottom of the seventh.  It became a six-out game for both sides and a battle of the bullpens.
 
It was the ninth that would prove decisive and Millard that once again found himself in the middle of the scoring.  The Patriot third basemen picked up his third single of the game to lead off the inning and found himself on third after DBU loaded the bases thanks to a sacrifice bunt, a single from Martinelli, and an intentional walk to Darick Hall.  With two outs, Millard would touch home on a bunt single up the third base line by Daniel Sweet and DBU took the one-run lead to the bottom of the inning.
 
The Sycamores would not go quietly in the ninth against Elledge however, as the first batter of the inning reached on an infield single.  After a big strikeout for the first out, Matt Duce played the hero by gunning out a would-be base stealer and Elledge finished the job by getting a line out to end the game.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- DBU has won seven consecutive dating back to last year.
- With four more runs drive in today, Darick Hall ran his season RBI total to a team-best 48 on the season.
- David Martinelli improved his career-high hit streak to 11 games with a two-hit day at the plate.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
12 – Each team collected six two-out hits on the day
3 – Two out RBI for the Patriots
2 – Number of runners caught stealing by Matt Duce

UP NEXT
The Patriots and Sycamores will meet again Sunday afternoon with the game slated for a 1:00 p.m. EST start.  DBU will look for their first ever sweep at Bob Warn Field by sending freshman Jordan Martinson to the hill.  Fans can catch all the action on www.dbupatriots.com/showcase with the Warmup Show beginning 30 minutes before first pitch.