THE RUNDOWN
The Patriots (14-7) dropped the fourth game of the series to UTRGV, 5-4. After winning the first three games and taking the series, the sweep attempt came up just short after the Vaqueros used a three-run eighth to take the finale.
DBU struck early in the bottom of the first, plating two runs. Cole Moore put a ball in play to score the first one, followed by a Texas League double in shallow center field from Austin Bell. The game would remain scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when Moore took a fastball to left field for his second RBI of the day.
Once again, UTRGV refused to go away. The Vaqueros plated a run in the sixth, seventh, and three in the eighth to take the lead. In that consequential eighth, the Vaqueros needed just two hits to score their three runs. The biggest of which, was a two-RBI double off the bat of RJ Ochoa.
DBU threatened in the bottom half of the eighth when Nico Burgarello walked. On a 3-1 pitch to Andres Sosa, Burgarello took off for second. Sosa took the pitch thinking it was ball four, but as the offering was called a strike, Ochoa threw out the stealing Burgarello. Sosa would strike out on the next pitch to end the inning.
In the ninth, Cole Moore was hit by a pitch and made it around the bases to third by swiping second, then taking third on a wild pitch. Jace Grady would single him home to make it a one run ballgame, but Bell would pop up to end the ballgame and cut the rally short.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Luke Eldred made his first start since March of 2019 and threw two scoreless innings.
- River Town continued to be red hot at the plate this weekend, going 2-5 after having a four hit game yesterday.
- Jared Pettitte matched a season high in innings (3.1) and surrendered just one unearned run.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
1 – The Patriots only managed one hit with runners in scoring position. They were 1-8.
7 – DBU used seven pitchers on Sunday afternoon.
.219 – In a game that ended up being another pitcher's duel, the Pats had a team average of .219 on Sunday.
UP NEXT
DBU and Valparaiso open up a four game conference series next weekend starting on Thursday, April 1. The two teams will play a double-header on Friday and conclude the series on Saturday.
