THE RUNDOWN
The Patriots (3-0) followed up a 14-run victory on Saturday with a 12-run, run-rule win over Fordham (0-3). The DBU offense scored 40 runs in the series against the Rams while allowing only 6.
 
The Patriots wasted no time to get on the board. Showing exceptional plate discipline, Tom Poole, Ethan Mann, and Jace Grady drew three consecutive walks to start the bottom of the first. Miguel Santos singled to drive in both Poole and Mann, after a Nate Rombach ground out, Luke Heefner followed suit with a double to score Santos and Grady for an early 4-0 lead.
 
The bottom of the second looked eerily similar to the first, as the first three Patriots all reached base via a free pass. Two batters later, Santos crushed a grand slam over the left center field fence to stretch the DBU lead to 8-0.
 
DBU was a bit more creative with its manner of scoring in the third frame. Kodie Kolden led off the inning with a walk, and Nathan Humphreys singled up the middle to advance Kolden to second base. The bases were loaded once again when Grant Jay took a base on balls. From there, Kolden stole a run on a wild pitch by Austin Sachen, Poole hit a two-run single to push Humphreys and Jay across, and Santos earned his last of seven RBIs on a ground ball to the shortstop that resulted in two runs registering for the Patriots.
 
Bryson Hammer made his DBU debut in impressive fashion. The transfer from Catawba Valley Community College threw 5.0 innings and gave up only one hit along with five punch-outs and no runs.
 
The Patriot bullpen once again kept the Fordham offense at bay, surrendering only one run in two innings of relief.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The sweep of Fordham is the fifth time in six years that the Patriots have swept its season-opening series.
- Through the series, DBU starting pitching threw 14 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing only 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 25 batters.
- Junior Cole Reeves returned to the mound after taking a redshirt season in 2021. He gave up one run and recorded a strikeout in 1.0 inning of work.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
26 - The Patriot offense drew 26 walks in the three-game series.
7 - Miguel Santos drove in seven runs, including a grand slam, which were two shy of tying the program record.
9 - Freshman Grant Jay has started his career by reaching base nine times in nine plate appearances for a perfect 1.000 OBP.
 
HEAD COACH DAN HEEFNER ON THE TEAM'S MENTALITY
"They are a DBU team and have the Patriot mentality through and through—number one, in their work ethic, [and] number two, the type of teammates they are. We really felt like with this team…what's going to make us great is being a team and just passing the baton, guy after guy, and battling, competing, playing the game the right way, doing it the Patriot way."
 
UP NEXT
DBU plays against UT Arlington at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, on Tuesday. First pitch is at 6:30 pm.
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