THE RUNDOWN
DBU dropped the first of a three-game series to Missouri State 9-5 on Thursday at Horner Ballpark. The Bears hit four home runs to build a lead that the Patriots' late rallies could not overcome.
Dylan Coleman kept the Patriots (35-16, 15-4 Missouri Valley Conference) in check while his team built a 7-1 lead. An infield single by Jameson Hannah on a high chopper off the artificial turf drove in a run in the seventh. Coleman left after a walk to Jimmy Glowenke loaded the bases. Matt Duce followed with an RBI single to right to close the book on Coleman.
Missouri State (34-15, 17-3 MVC) threatened in the top of the eighth, but a diving stop by Jimmy Glowenke who flipped the ball out of his glove to Blayne Jones who fired to Kody Funderburk at first to complete the inning-ending double play. Funderburk homered to left field to cut the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the frame, but Brooks Zimmerman's second homer of the night plated two more MSU runs in the top of the ninth.
Tim Millard's two-out single in the bottom of the ninth drove in Hannah to cut the Bears' lead to 9-5, but Garrett Wolforth grounded to first to end the game.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- With the win, Missouri State earns at least a share of the MVC regular season title and can win it outright with a win Friday.
- The Patriots' seven-game win streak came to an end Thursday night.
- DBU needs to win both remaining games against MSU to earn the top seed in the MVC Tournament at Horner Ballpark next week.
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DAN HEEFNER ON DBU'S TOUGH LUCK AT THE PLATE
"They got a great start from Coleman. He's a good pitcher. I thought we had some good at-bats against him early. We were squaring a ton of stuff up, but just right at people."
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
7 – Devlin Granberg and Jameson Hannah combined to reach base seven times in 10 plate appearances.
8 – Tim Millard has driven in eight runs over the last four games.
17 – Jimmy Glowenke extended his season-high hit streak to 17 games.
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UP NEXT
DBU and Missouri State resume their series at 6:30 p.m. Friday. MD Johnson will take the mound for the Patriots, and Logan Wiley will throw for the Bears.
