THE LEAD
DBU defeated Missouri State 7-2 on Saturday afternoon at Horner Ballpark to win the weekend series. Second baseman and senior Trooper Reynolds went 2-for-3 with an RBI on the same day that Reynolds and three fellow seniors were honored prior to the game for their DBU tenures.
 
Darick Hall (7-3) struck out seven batters in six innings of work, allowing just one run on three hits. Jordan Knutson (5-6) suffered the loss after giving up seven runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings.
 
Missouri State got on the board first again on an RBI double by Spencer Johnson in the top of the first inning. DBU leveled the score in the bottom of the inning when centerfielder Daniel Sweet scored on Hall's groundout.
 
In the second inning, the Patriots took a 2-1 lead on an RBI single by catcher Garrett Wolforth. DBU extended the lead to 5-1 in the third inning, fueled by RBI singles from second baseman Trooper Reynolds and leftfielder Justin Wall.
 
The Patriots plated two runs in the sixth inning on wild pitches in back-to-back at bats. The Bears trimmed the lead to six in the top of the seventh after Eduardo Castro's RBI double to deep left-center field.
 
COACH DAN HEEFNER – ON PATRIOTS HITTING VS. KNUTSON
"I thought they did a great job and it wasn't just any one guy.  We had guys up and down the lineup that produced and came up with some key situational hits for us.  It was also good to see us do that against a guy that has a lot of experience and has pitched in the postseason for them."
 
TROOPER REYNOLDS – ON DBU'S HITTING SUCCESS
"Plate discipline has been huge all year. We've made a huge jump in the last couple weeks. It really shows when we get a good pitch to hit."
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 - The middle of the Patriots' lineup went 4-for-9 with three RBI and three runs scored.
 - The DBU pitching staff held Missouri State hitless with runners in scoring position (0-for-3).
 - With runners on third base and two outs, the Patriots went 4-for-4.
 
IN THE NUMBERS
7 – All seven of DBU's runs were scored by different players.
6 – In the last six games, the Patriots have racked up at least nine hits.
4 – In the last four games in which their opponent has scored first, DBU has rallied back to win.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
The finale of the weekend series between DBU and Missouri State will be played Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Horner Ballpark. Jordan Martinson (2-1) will take the mound for the Patriots against Jake Fromson (4-1) for the Bears.