THE RUNDOWN
DBU invoked the Missouri Valley Conference's 10-run rule in a 12-2 win over Missouri State to tie the final weekend series of the regular season. The Patriots clubbed three home runs in the fifth inning as MD Johnson earned his seventh victory of the year.
Johnson (7-2) limited the Bears (34-15, 17-3 MVC) to two runs, one of which was earned, on five hits with four strikeouts and one walk in 4.2 innings pitched. He also helped himself defensively, snaring a 98-mph comebacker from just above his head for the first out in the third.
The Patriots (36-16, 15-4 MVC) opened the scoring with a three-run third inning that featured RBI singles by Devlin Granberg and Jimmy Glowenke. MSU would cut the Patriots lead to 3-2 before the DBU offense erupted in the fifth.
Jameson Hannah began the rally with a two-run homer, followed by a solo blast by Glowenke. Two walks, two singles, and a balk set up Granberg for a three-run bomb to right field to cap the rally. Luke Bandy's bases-loaded infield single in the sixth plated the Patriots' 12th and final run of the night.
Jarod Bayless, who took over for Johnson with two out in the fifth inning of a 3-2 game, earned the save with 2.1 innings of near-perfect relief. Aside from a sixth-inning hit batter, no Bear reached base against Bayless, who struck out three and walked none to earn his third save of 2018.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The winner of Saturday's series finale will earn the No. 1 seed in next week's Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
- The Patriots won by the MVC mercy rule for the third time this year and second time in seven days.
- Missouri State's loss was its second by at least 10 runs of the season. The first came April 13 in a 17-6 loss to Oregon State.
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DAN HEEFNER ON DBU'S BIG FIFTH INNING
"Even after [the back-to-back home runs], where we extended it with a couple walks and a two-strike hit by Garrett Wolforth, and I thought we ran the bases really well to keep pressure on them. It was an all-around effort that inning."
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.727 – The Patriots' top three hitters were 8-11 Friday night with seven runs, eight RBIs, and three homers.
20 – Jameson Hannah recorded his 20th double of the season, tying him for the seventh-highest single-season total in DBU's Division I era.
18 – Jimmy Glowenke extended his season-high hit streak to 18 games.
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UP NEXT
DBU and Missouri State battle for the top seed in the MVC Tournament on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Luke Eldred will take the hill for the Patriots, and Ty Buckner will pitch for Missouri State.
