THE RUNDOWN
No. 14 DBU (45-15) fell to Washington (35-18) in the opener of the Stillwater Regional, 9-5. A seven-run fifth-inning for the Huskies proved to be the difference as DBU's loss forces the Patriots into an elimination game on Saturday at O'Brate Stadium.
 
Neither team pushed a run across through the first three innings as DBU's Ryan Johnson and Washington's Stu Flesland III combined for nine strikeouts in the game's first 18 outs.
 
The Huskies were the first put a tally on the board in the fourth when Coby Morales delivered an RBI double to score Will Simpson.
 
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Nate Rombach doubled down the right-field line. George Specht then singled to push across Rombach and tie the game, 1-1.
 
Washington found an offensive rhythm in the next frame, amassing seven runs on six hits, including a pair of home runs, to jump ahead by seven.
 
DBU once again answered the Huskies, as MIguel Santos drove in a run with an RBI single and Luke Heefer laced a two-run base hit to left to narrow the margin to 8-4.
 
Brady Rose took the mound for the Patriots in the seventh and threw an immaculate inning to start his outing. He would go on to fan five batters in two innings of work.
 
A trio of Patriot base hits capped off by a George Specht RBI single cut the deficit to three in the seventh, but Washington added a run of their own in the top of the eighth to complete the scoring in a 9-5 contest.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The Patriots will seek to climb their way through the loser's side of the bracket for the sixth time in their last eight trips to the postseason. Four times DBU went on to reach the Regional Finals.
- Michael Snyder led Washington's offensive charge with a two-run homer and an RBI double.
- Nate Rombach made his first start since April 28. He went 2-5 with a double.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2 - Six Patriots recorded two hits on Friday (Jace Grady, Nathan Humphreys, Kodie Kolden, Nate Rombach, Miguel Santos, and George Specht).
5 - Brady Rose recorded five or more strikeouts for the fifth time this season. 
9 - Both teams registered 9 strikeouts.
 
BRADY ROSE ON THE WHAT THE PITCHING STAFF CAN DO MOVING FORWARD IN THE REGIONAL
"I think we just need to keep doing what we're doing. We're doing the right things. It just didn't quite fall the way we needed it to today. [If we] just keep doing what we're doing, and we'll be good."
 
UP NEXT
DBU will play against the loser of Friday's evening game between No. 11 Oklahoma State and Oral Roberts on Saturday at 2:00 pm.
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