THE RUNDOWN
The Patriots enjoyed a Friday night case of Horner Heroics as Austin Bell hit a walk-off home run to beat UTRGV, 4-2, in game two of the series. With the win, DBU (13-6) has won their fourth straight ball game and can win the series tomorrow afternoon.

In a low scoring affair, runs are always at a premium. That was no different Friday night when both teams entered the ninth inning tied at 2-2. Austin Bell accounted for the first RBI of the night as well when he beat out an infield single. The Pats would score again in the sixth when Andrew Benefield laced an RBI-single back up the middle to make it 2-0.

But UTRGV would limit DBU's bats to just the two runs until the ninth inning. Both the Patriots and Vaqueros kept hitters off balance all night long. For DBU, a combination of Dominic Hamel, Ross Carver, Zane Russell, and Kragen Kechely toed the rubber. Hamel turned in another outstanding performance, striking out nine Vaqueros through six shutout innings.

UTRGV would tack on a run in the seventh and eighth inning, however, capped off by a Freddy Rojas Jr. home run to right field. The Pats and Vaqueros would go to the ninth deadlocked at two runs apiece, but Kragen Kechely slammed the door in the top half of the inning to set the table for fireworks in the home half.

After a Jace Grady leadoff single, Austin Bell stepped to the plate. Despite two strikes on the senior, Bell never changed his approach and got a high fast ball that he sent flying into the Dallas night to give DBU a 4-2 win.

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Austin Bell delivered a three-RBI performance for the second night in a row.
- With the win, it's the first time in 2021 that DBU has won four games consecutively.
- The pitching staff continues to collect strikeout, totaling 13 on Friday night.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5 – Friday night marked the fifth straight game that the Patriot pitching staff didn't allow more than five runs in a ballgame.
12 – Dominic Hamel has thrown 12 consecutive shutout innings after back-to-back outings of six innings and zero runs allowed.
86 – Kragen Kechely made his 86th career appearance on Friday night and collected his first win of the season.
 

OUTFIELDER AUSTIN BELL ON THE WALKOFF
"We got a runner on first with two strikes. I'm still trying to drive the ball...the approach doesn't change. I got a heater up and I hit those well. You can talk about being tough all you want, but you've got to be put in that fire and come out the other side. You find yourself in those situations down the road in the tournament and regionals and you have to know how to win those." 

UP NEXT
DBU and UTRGV play game three of the four game set on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00PM.