THE RUNDOWN
The DBU Baseball team (8-5) ended a five-game skid with a run-rule victory over Grambling State (3-9) at Horner Ballpark. Luke Heefner shined for the Patriots, going 3-for-3 with three RBI runs, three runs scored, a triple, and a walk.
 
DBU sent eight hitters to the plate in the second inning to put three runs on the board. With the bases loaded, a wild pitch scored Nate Rombach from third base, and a sacrifice fly by Grant Jay and a fielder's choice off the bat of Alex Pendergast pushed across Miguel Santos and Luke Heefner to give the Patriots an early, 3-0 lead.
 
The Patriot offense kept the momentum going by adding multiple runs in the next two frames.
 
In the third, Santos doubled and Heefner earned a base hit in back-to-back at-bats to add a pair of runs to the board. Pendergast logged his second RBI of the season by on a single to drive in Heefner from second base.
 
Three base hits by Nathan Humphreys, Rombach, and Heefner tacked on two runs in the fourth for DBU, expanding the gap with Grambling State to 9-0.
 
The Tigers avoided a shutout in the sixth, sending all nine spots in the lineup to the plate and using a hit batter and two walks to score three runs with the bases loaded.
 
In the home half of the same frame, DBU stretched the lead to double digits courtesy of a two-run long ball by Grant Jay and a two-RBI double by Kodie Kolden that extended his hitting streak to seven games.
 
Up 13-3, Jerrod Jenkins did not allow a run in the top of the seventh to finish the game for the Patriots. He finished the night as one of three pitchers (Jaron DeBerry, Reece Beuter) to register at least three strikeouts in the game.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Wednesday's win snaps a five-game losing streak for the Patriots.
- DBU sustains a perfect 11-0 record against Grambling State all-time.
- Cade Wiegert made his collegiate debut. He struck out two batters, walked one, and gave up one hit and three earned runs.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
4 - For the fifth time in 2023, DBU baserunners stole at least four bases in a game.
5 - Five different Patriots recorded an extra-base hit, including Grant Jay, whose sixth inning home run ended a team five-game drought for DBU without a round-tripper.
13 - Patriot pitching totaled 13 strikeouts, their most since punching out 18 against TCU on February 28.
 
HEAD COACH DAN HEEFNER ON HIS TEAM'S RESPONSE AFTER BREAKING A FIVE-GAME LOSING STREAK
"To me, that was the best part about tonight. I thought the guys were just themselves. I thought they just played the game. They talked the game. They didn't press. That's what we wanted to do, and I was proud of the guys for responding that way after losing five in a row."
 
UP NEXT
DBU stays in Dallas for a series against Oral Roberts. Game one is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 pm.
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