THE LEAD
DBU defeated Missouri State 9-5 in the weekend series opener on Friday night at Horner Ballpark. Shortstop Camden Duzenack went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a run in his return to the lineup after missing 15 games due to injury.
 
Starting pitcher Colin Poche (8-0) racked up a career-high 14 strikeouts and allowed just three runs on five hits in six innings. Dylan Coleman (6-4) gave up six runs on four hits in two innings of work to suffer the loss.
 
The Bears jumped out to an early lead 2-0 after Alex Jefferson hit a two-run homerun in the top of the first inning. Poche responded by retiring the next six batters, including five strikeouts. After Coleman walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Duzenack roped a two-run single over the third baseman to even the score.
 
DBU exploded in the third and put up six runs, highlighted by a two-run double by catcher Matt Duce. Missouri State got one back in the top of the fifth on a RBI double by Aaron Meyer. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Duzenack hit a solo homerun to extend the Patriot lead to 9-3. Matt Dezort answered with a solo shot of his own in the top of the ninth to cut the lead to 9-4.
 
COACH DAN HEEFNER – ON POCHE'S OUTING
"Colin looked great tonight. He's really competed for us all season long.  His fastball was once again really good and he was also able to mix in a sharp slider tonight.  With the short week coming up next week, we had him come out after six, or else he could have given us one more inning."
 
COLIN POCHE – ON RECOVERING AFTER THE HOMERUN
"I knew that if I just kept executing my pitches, I would get guys out.  I felt like I had thrown a good pitch down in the zone and sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the other guy, but I felt fine after that and was ready to go back to work."
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 - Colin Poche is the first pitcher in DBU's Division I history to go 8-0 through his first eight decisions.
 - The Patriots went 5-for-6 with runners on third base and two outs.
 - Before allowing a ninth-inning homerun, Dalton Higgins went 29.1 consecutive innings without giving up an earned run.
 
IN THE NUMBERS
16 – The DBU pitching staff finished with a combined 16 strikeouts.
0 – The Bears were hitless with two outs in the loss.
34 – In the last two meetings, the Patriots pitchers have struck out 34 Missouri State batters.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
DBU and Missouri State face off in the second game of the weekend series on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Horner Ballpark. Darick Hall (6-3) takes the mound for the Patriots against Jordan Knutson (5-5) for the Bears.