THE LEAD
For the first time since the 2013 season, the DBU Patriots were swept in a weekend series, as the Missouri State Bears jumped out to an early lead Sunday and never looked back in a 7-2 win.  Jordan Martinson (3-3) was saddled with the loss after throwing four innings and giving up three earned runs while striking out six.  With the loss, DBU (18-13, 3-3) falls to .500 in Missouri Valley Conference play ahead of a bye weekend - where the Patriots will travel out of conference to Central Arkansas next week.
  
Missouri State (21-10, 6-0) opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run home run off the bat of Jake Burger to straightaway centerfield. The Patriots countered with a run in the third inning on an RBI single from Garrett Wolforth, but a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning led to another MSU run after a stolen base and a soft single to left field.
 
The deficit remained at two until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Bears struck for three runs on a pair of home runs off Patriot reliever Dalton Higgins. The two blasts were the first two home runs surrendered by Higgins through fifteen-plus innings on the mound in 2017.
 
The Bears tacked on another run in the seventh inning off Travis Stone and the Patriot offense was only able to pick up a couple of runs in the final two innings on wild pitches against the Missouri State bullpen.   
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- This Patriots' four-game skid is their first since DBU lost four straight in 2014 with a loss to Baylor, followed by a mid-week defeat at Texas Tech, and then two losses to Evansville.
- DBU never led in the three games at Missouri State.
- Four of Missouri State's hits on the day went for extra-bases, including three home runs and a double.
 
DBU HEAD COACH DAN HEEFNER ON THE WEEKEND SERIES
"You've got to give them credit.  They pitched really well this weekend.  All three of their starters did a good job and they played well defensively.  They're a a good ballclub, but at the same time, we've got some things that we've got to do better as a team.  The good news is, there's a lot of season left and our job is to keep getting better."
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
31 - Matt Duce extended his on-base streak to 31-games.
8 - Eight of the nine starters in the DBU lineup had at least one hit.
2 - Only two of the Patriots' nine hits went for extra bases, as DBU stranded nine on the day.
 
UP NEXT
DBU returns home on Tuesday to face TCU at Horner Ballpark.  First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.