THE RUNDOWN
No. 13 DBU used four-run innings in the fifth and sixth to claim a series-opening victory over Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Friday night at Horner Ballpark.
Ryan Johnson worked 7.0 innings and allowed two unearned runs to earn his third victory of the season in the win.
Patriots' second baseman
Miguel Santos used his speed to manufacture the game's first run in the bottom of the third. Santos reached first on an error and proceeded to steal second and tag up to third before scoring on a wild pitch to give DBU an early 1-0 lead.
Texas A&M Corpus Christi took advantage of a pair of DBU fielding mistakes in the top of the fourth as the Islanders tied the game on a fielding error that could have resulted in a double play ball. Some heads-up baserunning would give the Islanders the lead in that same inning after A&M Corpus perfectly executed a delayed double steal of home to take a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, DBU's sophomore outfielder
Joey Nerat delivered the big swing of the night as he launched a grand slam over the right field wall to put the Patriots up 5-2. DBU would break the game open in the next inning as the Patriots used a two-run single from
Grant Jay and a two-RBI double from
Ethan Mann to take a commanding 9-2 lead.
DBU starter
Ryan Johnson threw seven strong innings, giving up just three hits and two runs while striking out seven. With his seven strikeouts tonight, Johnson is now in sole possession of fifth place on DBU's all-time strikeout list with 212.
The Islanders would get three runs back in the top of the eighth when Cole Modgling scored on an error and a single from Josh Blount plated two runs, but a
Miguel Santos home run to left field in the home-half of the inning would extend DBU's lead back to five.
Jerrod Jenkins pitched the final two innings, allowing three unearned runs and striking out a pair, including Cole Modgling to close out the game.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
-
Ryan Johnson passed Patriot legend Cy Sneed to move into fifth all-time in strikeouts in program history.
- DBU has now won all four series-opening games at Horner Ballpark this season.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
32 -
Miguel Santos hit his 32nd career home run, which moves him into a tie with Ryan Goins and Evan Bigley for the eighth-most home runs in DBU's Division I era.
1 - The Patriots allowed just one extra-base hit in their series-opening victory.
UP NEXT
DBU will go for the series-clinching win Saturday afternoon as the Patriots and the Islanders meet in game two of their three-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 at Horner Ballpark.
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