THE RUNDOWN
No. 21 DBU claimed a 4-3 win over Missouri State in the Missouri Valley Conference opener on Friday night at Horner Ballpark.  After jumping out to a 4-0 lead through the first four innings, the Bears rallied for three runs and threatened with the tying run at third base in the ninth when Chandler Arnold included a line out to left field for the final out.

Jacob Meador improved to 6-0 on the year after allowing just two runs in 5.0 innings while Arnold notched his seventh save in as many opportunities.

DBU (19-10, 1-0) staked Meador to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Jace Grady led off the inning with a base hit and then stole second.  Andrew Benefield then drove an 0-1 pitch from MSU (14-11, 0-1) starter Adam Link into right field for the game's first run.  After a one-out double from Ryan Wrobleski put runners at second and third, Miguel Santos lined an RBI single to right to put the Patriots up, 2-0.

DBU would add two more runs in their half of the fourth as Nathan Humphreys led off the inning with a drag bunt and then reached third on a Blayne Jones double down the right field line.  Andrew Benefield lifted a sacrifice fly to right that brought in Humphreys for DBU's third run and one batter later an error on MSU first baseman Mason Greer allowed Jones to score to extend the Patriots lead to 4-0.

The Bears cut DBU's lead in half in the top of the fifth as Dakota Kotowski lashed a two-run single to left field with the bases loaded.  Meador would eventually work out of a jam with runners at first and second when he got Cam Cratic to fly out to left-center to end the Bears' threat.

The tandem of Zane Russell and Bubba Hall held the Bears scoreless over the next three innings and handed Chandler Arnold a 4-2 lead going to the ninth.

With one out in the Bears' ninth, a solo home run from Walker Jenkins cut the DBU lead to one.  Spencer Nivens followed with a double and eventually reached third with two out before Drake Baldwin lined out to left to end the game.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Since joining The Valley in 2014, 13 of the 28 games between the Patriots and Bears have been decided by one-run. DBU is 9-4 in those games.
- DBU improves to 19-17 all-time against Missouri State.
- 22 of the Patriots' 29 games this year have been decided by three runs or less. DBU is 14-8 in those games.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
8 - DBU has won all eight of their openers in the Missouri Valley Conference since they joined the MVC in 2014.
200 - The Patriots won their 200th game at Horner Ballpark since it opened in 2013. DBU is 200-75 at Horner Ballpark over that 10-year stretch.
7 - With his seventh save of the year, Chandler Arnold ties Chris Haney (2009) for the eighth-most saves in a single-season in DBU's Division I era dating back to 2004.


 
UP NEXT
DBU faces Missouri State in game two of the series on Saturday at Horner Ballpark.  First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
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