THE RUNDOWN
DBU claimed a series win over Bradley with a 7-3 victory at Dozer Park in Peoria, Illinois, on Saturday.  With the win, the Patriots won their 11th consecutive weekend series and their sixth straight game.

DBU (34-15, 15-3) opened the scoring in the top of the first when Jimmy Glowenke belted his seventh home run of the year, a two-out shot over the wall down the left field line.  In the second, Tim Millard made it 2-0 with a solo home run to lead-off the inning.  The Patriots would scratch another run across in the third on an RBI double from Matt Duce. 

In the bottom of the fourth, Bradley (29-14, 10-7) plated a pair of runs off of Patriots' starter MD Johnson to cut the DBU lead to 3-2.  With a one-run lead heading into the sixth, DBU struck for three runs headlined by a Kody Funderburk two-run double with the bases loaded.  One batter later, Luke Bandy lifted a sacrifice fly to right-center to plate a run and give the Patriots a 6-3 lead.

After MD Johnson exited in the top of the sixth, Jordan Martinson surrendered one inherited run as the lefty induced a double play ball with the bases loaded.

Leading 6-3 into the top of the ninth, Duce sparked a Patriots' two-out rally when he reached on an error, stole second base, and then advanced to third on a wild pitch.  With Duce at third and two out, Millard laced a 2-2 pitch into left field to plate Duce and hand DBU a 7-3 advantage.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Braves were able to chase Patriots' reliever Kragen Kechely from the game as they loaded the bases with two outs.  Facing Derek Bangert at the plate as the tying run, MacGregor Hines struck out Bangert on a 3-2 pitch to notch his team-best fifth save of the year.

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- With the win, DBU remains one game back of Missouri State for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings.
- DBU is 28-0 this year when they score six runs or more.
- Tim Millard now leads the Missouri Valley Conference in home runs (12). 
 
DAN HEEFNER ON DBU'S OFFENSIVE APPROACH
"The runs early were big today.  Jimmy Glowenke hunted a pitch early in the count in the first and he ambushed it.  Tim Millard is also really starting to heat up and did a great job in his at-bat with the home run in the second.  The three runs in the sixth were really big as well and it started with a sac bunt from Garrett Wolforth and then Kody Funderburk doubled on the first pitch that he saw and then Luke Bandy was able to get one to the outfield on a sac fly to bring in another run. After that though, I think we left a lot of runs on the bases and at this point of the year, you want to extend every opportunity that you get."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
17 – MD Johnson won for the 17th time in his career, tying him with Brandon Williamson for the fourth most wins by a pitcher in DBU's Division I era.
26 – Tim Millard hit his 26th career home run to place him in a tie with Matt Tucker for the 10th most home runs in DBU's Division I history.
23 – DBU's pitching staff recorded 10 strikeouts, marking the 23rd time this year that they have struck out 10 or more batters in a game.
 
UP NEXT
DBU faces Bradley in the series finale on Sunday at Dozer Park.  First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.