THE RUNDOWN
The Patriots dropped game one of a three-game series to Indiana State, 10-6, on a rain-soaked Thursday night at Bob Warn Field. The Sycamores took the lead in a seven-run second inning and homered three times to keep the Patriots (33-19, 11-8) at bay. With the win, Indiana State (24-20, 9-10) snaps a six-game losing streak and looks to spoil DBU's final regular-season series in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Both teams swapped zeroes in a silent first inning before combing for 12 runs in a bizarre second frame. A flurry of substitutions rewrote Dan Heefner's lineup card as the Patriots punched five across in the top of the inning. After leaving the yard three times on Sunday, Cole Moore crushed the very first pitch he faced over the fence in left-center. The runs continued to pour in along with rain from the Terre Haute sky. Nate Rombach kept the gears turning with a double into left field. He then scored on a throwing error by third baseman Jordan Schaffer. Leading 2-0, George Specht chopped a 1-2 offering over the outstretched glove of pitcher Matt Jachec to bring home Andrew Benefield and Luke Heefner. With one out and runners in scoring position, Jace Grady connected on an RBI groundout that staked the Patriots to a 5-0 lead.  

But DBU's five-run cushion was completely deleted in the home half of the inning. A solo shot to left field put the Sycamores on the board. After a single to center field and a double down the left-field line, Indiana State filled the bases with a walk issued to Parker Stinson. With nowhere to put the following batter, Jacob Meador walked in a run that cut the Patriots' lead to three, 5-2. 

A bases-clearing double from Josue Urdaneta tied the game before a two-run shot by Randall Diaz put DBU down 7-5. 

DBU tried to chase Jachec out of the game in the third inning, but Indiana State's ace found his footing and would give up just one more run the rest of the way. 

Trailing 8-5, the Patriots pulled back within striking distance in the fifth frame. Jace Grady drew a leadoff walk and Ryan Wrobleski extended his hit streak to 15 games with a single into center field that set the table for Nate Rombach. Rombach then plated DBU's final run of the game with a sacrifice fly down the right-field line. 

After four silent innings, the Sycamores broke open the game with a two-run blast in the home half of the seventh. The Patriots battled the elements and the Sycamores over the final two innings but could not erase the 10-6 deficit. 

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 
- At 9-10 in conference play, Indiana State moves into a tie with Bradley for fifth place in the MVC standings. 
- DBU falls to 11-8 in Valley play but maintains a two-game lead over the Sycamores as the regular season draws to a close. 
- The Pats drop game one of a conference series for the second week in a row. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 
71 - Bubba Hall tossed a season-high 71 pitches out of the bullpen.
5 - Alec Baker fanned a career-high five batters and struck out the side in the sixth. 
4 - Cole Moore has homered four times over the last two games. 

ON DECK 
DBU looks to even the series against Indiana State tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.
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