THE RUNDOWN
The DBU Patriots dropped a midweek matchup to the No. 7 Oklahoma State Cowboys, 5-4 Wednesday at O'Brate Stadium. The Cowboys (10-6) rode a four-RBI performance from Jake Thompson to victory and snapped DBU's (9-7) three-game win streak.
Luke Heefner put the Patriots on top in the sixth inning when he crushed a solo shot over the wall in left field, but a two-run double off the bat of Thompson in the seventh frame would decide the game.
DBU overcame a shaky start in Stillwater. After the first two batters in the Cowboys' lineup reached on walks in the bottom of the first, OSU struck first on a Thompson two-run triple, and another run came across on an RBI groundout to the right side to give the Cowboys an early 3-0 advantage.
George Specht would manufacture the Patriots' first run in the second inning when he reached first on a leadoff single and advanced to third on a base hit from
Luke Heefner before scoring on a wild pitch.
DBU reset the game at 3-3 in the following frame as
Andrew Benefield laced a two-run double into the left field corner for his fourth extra-base hit of the season. The momentum continued to roll DBU's way as
Luke Heefner blasted the fourth unanswered run over the left field wall to give the Patriots a 4-3 edge after six-and-a-half innings.
The Cowboy offense reignited in the home half of the seventh, as Thompson pushed another pair of runs across on a double into right-center field to recapture the lead, 5-4.
Kyle Rich entered in the eighth inning and was able to keep OSU quiet for the remainder of the game, allowing just one hit and picking up his sixth punchout of the season. But the DBU bats would fail to find the counterpunch in the ninth as Cowboys' closer Trevor Martin retired the side in order to record his fifth save of the season.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
-DBU falls to 0-4 in midweek contests and has dropped each of the last three by one run.
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Luke Heefner delivered the first home run of his young career.
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Kyle Rich made his team-leading seventh appearance out of the bullpen.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
200 -
Blayne Jones played in his 200th game as a Patriot, the eighth-most in program history.
23 - DBU blasted its 23rd home run of the year, a mark that leads the MVC.
8 -
Andrew Benefield notched his seventh and eighth RBI this season.
UP NEXT
DBU stays in Oklahoma to face Oral Roberts in Tulsa on March 18-20. The first pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. on Friday.
