THE RUNDDOWN
No. 25 DBU scored eight runs in the final two innings of the game Saturday afternoon at Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Illinois, to hold on to a wild affair against Illinois State, 17-11. The win marked the Patriots seventh straight victory and secured the series win over the Redbirds to open Missouri Valley Conference play. DBU (19-9, 2-0) collected 13 hits on the afternoon and had five different players with multiple RBI. Sean Boyle settled things down for the DBU pitching staff in his 3.1 innings of relief, picking up the win and allowing the DBU offense to come from behind to claim the win over the Redbirds (10-15, 1-5).
 
For the second straight day against Illinois State, DBU had to play from behind early as three first inning walks led to four runs on two hits for the Redbirds to open the game. The Patriots remained hitless against Illinois State starter Brady Huffman until the fourth inning when Devlin Granberg singled up the middle with one out. Matt Duce worked a walk to push Granberg to second base and Funderburk put the Patriots on the scoreboard with a no-doubt home run to right field, his sixth of the season.
 
After Funderburk was lifted for Jarod Bayless with one out in the fourth inning, the Redbirds immediately reclaimed all three runs with a single run charged to Funderburk in the fourth and two against Bayless in the fifth. 
 
In the sixth, the Patriots once again used the long ball to climb back in the game. Tim Millard and Funderburk each singled with one out and Jimmy Glowenke followed with his third home run of the season to cut the deficit back to one and force the Redbirds to their bullpen. The Patriots drew back-to-back walks following the home run and Jameson Hannah gave the Patriots an 8-7 lead with a two-out double to right center.
 
The teams traded runs in the following half innings as Illinois State tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-out single. Funderburk regained the lead for DBU with his second blast of the game, a solo shot to right field that made it 9-8, before the Redbirds plated three runs in the seventh inning thanks in part to three walks and two singles in the frame.
 
Down two runs in the ninth, a line drive base hit to center on a two-strike pitch to Tim Millard tied the game at 11 apiece.  Still tied at 11 in the 10th inning, DBU took the lead on an RBI single by Hannah.  Two batters later, Matt Duce cleared the bases with a three-run double, followed by a two-run double by Glowenke to hand the Patriots a 17-11 advantage. 
 
Boyle would make quick work of the Redbirds in the 10th retiring the side in order to earn the first win of his career.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- DBU has won seven straight for the first time since they won seven straight from April 14-25, 2017.
- The Patriots have scored 10 or more runs 10 times this year.
- Six of DBU's hits went for extra bases.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
29 - Jameson Hannah extended his hitting streak to 29 straight games.
15 - DBU is 15-0 when they score six runs or more.
5 - The Patriots are 5-0 in series to open conference play since they joined the MVC in 2014.
 
UP NEXT
DBU faces Illinois State in the series finale on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.