THE LEAD
No. 29 DBU defeated Abilene Christian 3-2 on Tuesday night at Horner Ballpark in the Patriots' regular season home finale. Left fielder Daniel Sweet went 1-for-4 and picked up his 21^st RBI of the season on a walk-off walk.
 
Relief pitcher Dalton Higgins (7-3) earned the win after tossing three innings of one-run, one-hit baseball and striking out three Wildcats. Zach Kornely (1-1) suffered the loss after allowing the game-winning run in the ninth.
 
The Patriots jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning after rightfielder David Martinelli scored on first baseman Darick Hall's RBI double to right field. Abilene Christian evened the score in the third inning on a run-scoring groundout by Chris Altimont.  Starting pitcher Dalton Higgins fended off the Wildcats through the first six innings, allowing just one run on three hits with five strikeouts.
 
DBU took a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning when third baseman Tim Millard singled in catcher Matt Duce. ACU once again answered the Patriots, scoring on a passed ball in the top of the eighth inning. The Patriots loaded the bases on a single by Millard with one out in the ninth inning before Kornely walked in pinch runner Logan Sepanek.
 
COACH DAN HEEFNER – ON THE WIN
"I think at this point in the year, every game is big. Especially with the position we are in. Every game counts. Every game matters. You've got to play to win no matter what and to win close games like this one late in the season is alway big."
 
DANIEL SWEET – ON THE WALK-OFF WALK
"I was sitting down waiting for my pitch. I had to call for time a couple times because I got a little caught up in the moment, but coach has taught us how to deal with those big moments."
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 - DBU's pitching staff held Abilene Christian hitless with runners on (0-for-12) and runners in scoring position (0-for-9).
 - The Patriots concluded their home slate with a 24-9 record.
 - The walk-off walk was the first walk-off for DBU since a 1-0 win vs. San Francisco on May 9, 2015.
 
IN THE NUMBERS
5 – MD Johnson's five strikeouts marked a career-high for the freshman hurler.
69.7 – DBU's pitchers converted 69.7 percent of their pitches for strikes.
9 – Darick Hall is tied for the ninth-most RBI in a single-season in DBU's Division I history.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PATRIOTS
DBU travels to Wichita, Kansas, to take on Wichita State in a three-game series beginning Thursday night at 6:30 p.m.