THE LEAD
The DBU Patriots (38-17) opened the 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament with a  9-5 win over the eighth-seeded Illinois State Redbirds (17-36).  Colin Poche continued his dominance of the league with eight shutout innings to improve to 9-0 on the season, while Camden Duzenack picked up four hits and three RBI.  Trooper Reynolds and Austin Listi helped pace a 12-hit attack for DBU by reaching base a combined seven times in the victory.  
 
The Patriot offense wasted no time in getting on the board after Poche pitched around two soft singles in the first inning.  With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Listi reached via a base on balls and the MVC Conference Player of the Year Darick Hall followed with his 17th homerun of the season, an opposite field shot to left center.  In the third, DBU doubled their lead to four with two-out RBIs from the MVC's Co-Freshman of the Year Jameson Hannah and Reynolds.
 
In the fifth, Reynolds once again came through with a two-out RBI to score Listi, who had reached for the third straight time with a double and two walks.  That made the score 5-0 and DBU added again in the sixth when Duzenack doubled to lead off the frame and scored from third two batters later on Daniel Sweet's single through a drawn-in infield.
 
It was Duzenack who added a big blow in the seventh to make it a nine-run cushion for Poche heading into the eighth inning.  After Hannah singled and Reynolds walked with nobody out, Duzenack who blasted a no-doubt shot to left field to pick up his fourth hit of the day and leave him a triple short of the cycle to open the tournament.
 
Those runs would prove more than enough for the MVC Pitcher of the Year Colin Poche, as the Patriot lefthander pitched around a little traffic throughout his time on the mound, but never allowed a Redbird threat to materialize.  Poche pitched eight strong innings to pick up his ninth win of 2016, allowing only four hits, while striking out four.  Eric White threw the final inning of the game and allowed five runs on five hits and an error, before Sean Stutzman came out of the pen to record the final out and record his third save of the season.
 
DBU HEAD COACH DAN HEEFNER ON THE STRONG OUTING FROM COLIN POCHE
"He was great once again today and showed why he was named the Pitcher of the Year in the conference.  He executed his pitches and was able to get some help from his defense, along with three double play balls.  His start also allowed us to save our bullpen for the week ahead, which is key when you're in a tournament."
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The Patriots are now 9-1 all-time versus Illinois State.
- DBU is just two wins shy of their third consecutive 40-win season.
- Camden Duzenack raised his batting average 20 pointes from .262 to .282 after going 4-for-4 at the plate.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
17 – Darick Hall's 17 home runs are tied for the fourth most in a single-season in DBU baseball history and is five behind Ryan Goins for the program's Division I record.
9 – Colin Poche's nine wins are tied for the fifth most in a single-season in DBU's Division I history.  Poche is just two wins from matching Jeff Gilmore's record of 11 wins set in 2004.
4 – Camden Duzenack matched a career-high with four hits.
 
UP NEXT
With the win over Illinois State, the Patriots advance to the winners' bracket and will face Southern Illinois Thursday at 3:04 p.m. CST.