THE LEAD
In a weather-shortened series finale, the DBU Patriots (27-16, 8-4) defeated the Southern Illinois Salukis, 7-1, to claim both ends of the doubleheader in Carbondale, Illinois. MD Johnson put together his second consecutive sharp outing, allowing only one run in 5.2 innings, while striking out five and walking none. Devlin Granberg collected two more hits and three RBI to pace the offense in support of Johnson, who needed little help to stifle the Saluki offense.
 
Southern Illinois (23-22, 6-6) opened the scoring in the fourth inning with a single run off Johnson. The Patriots answered the next half inning with three runs when they loaded the bases with one out. Jameson Hannah was hit by a pitch to tie the game and Granberg followed with a two-RBI single up the middle to give the Patriots the lead.
 
Johnson executed the shutdown inning in the bottom of the fifth after allowing runners to second and third with only one out. The Patriots' right-hander then got a swinging strikeout for the second out and a routine fly ball to centerfield to keep the advantage at two runs.
 
That would loom large as the Patriots took command of the game in the following inning. Two passed balls allowed a couple of runs to score and RBI singles from Camryn Williams and Granberg pushed the DBU lead to six before the end of the top of the sixth inning. As rain started to fall on Itchy Jones Stadium, Johnson returned to the mound for the bottom of the sixth inning and quickly recorded two outs before the lightning delay sent the teams off the field.
 
The game would be postponed until Sunday, but with lightning and rain still in the area, the game was eventually called.  Since the game went at least five innings, the win belongs to the Patriots, as DBU claims their third series in conference action this year.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- In his last two starts, MD Johnson is 2-0 and has allowed just one run in 12.2 innings.
- The Patriots' pitching staff surrendered just seven runs in the three games against Southern Illinois.
- DBU completed the three-game series playing errorless baseball.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
216 – Austin Listi played in his 216th career game, passing Austin Knight and Nash Knight for the third most games played in DBU's Division I history.
9 – The Patriots notched nine free passes, including seven walks and two hit batters.
5 – Devlin Granberg collected five hits (5-for-9) in the doubleheader.
 
UP NEXT
The Patriots return to action on Wednesday when they face Prairie View A&M at Horner Ballpark.  First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.