With a stiff wind blowing in from center field all afternoon, DBU resorted to small ball to defeat Valparaiso 8-0 in the second of a three-game series at Horner Ballpark on Saturday. The Patriots (20-6, 2-0 Missouri Valley Conference) set season highs in stolen bases (6) and bases on balls (10) while throwing their third shutout of the season.

MD Johnson threw six scoreless innings to earn his fourth victory of the season. The senior righty struck out six batters while walking just three Crusaders (5-18, 0-2 MVC) and allowed just three hits.

The Patriots scored four runs in the second to take their first and only lead, taking advantage of three bases-loaded walks in the frame. Christian Boulware drew a free pass on four pitches to force home the game's first run. Ben McConnell's bunt hit plated another before walks by Jimmy Glowenke and Jackson Glenn drove home two more.

An infield single by Glenn in the fourth gave the junior third baseman his second RBI of the day. Augie Isaacson drove in a run in the fifth with an infield single of his own, stole second as McConnell scored on a wild pitch, and came around himself on a throwing error after he stole third.

Parker Towns was stellar in relief of Johnson, striking out five of the seven batters he faced in two innings. Luke Trahan pitched around a leadoff single, a hit batter, and a walk to finish off the game, striking out three batters in the ninth.

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 - Dan Heefner earned his 450th career win Saturday.
 - Johnson broke a short-lived tie with Jordan Martinson for fourth in DBU's Division I era in career strikeouts, bringing his total to 219.
 - Patriot pitching held opponents without an extra-base hit for the fourth time in 2019.

COACH DAN HEEFNER ON THE PATRIOTS' APPROACH
"We had to do some different things with the way the park was playing today. I thought we did a great job in the second inning, and it starts with plate discipline. It starts with swinging at strikes and taking balls, and we drew a number of walks in the second because we had competitive at-bats and managed the strike zone well."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
4 - Augie Isaacson recorded his fourth multi-steal game of the season.
15 - DBU has been successful in its last 15 steal attempts.
48 - Johnson is one start away from tying Cy Sneed and Randall Taylor for the most in DBU's Division I era at 49 each.

UP NEXT
The Patriots and Crusaders conclude their series Sunday at 1:00 pm. Zach Heaton (0-0, 3.77 ERA) will face Zach Fricke (0-1, 6.00 ERA).