THE RUNDOWN
DBU earned its 40th win of the season in a 15-6 series-clinching win over Middle Tennessee on Thursday at Reese Smith Jr. Field in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Patriots put up 15 runs in both games of Thursday's doubleheader, including a combined 37 hits through the two contests.
 
The Patriots brought their first run across the plate in the third inning when Alex Pendergast scored on a wild pitch. Grant Jay made it a 3-0 ballgame the following inning with a two-run single to left field.
 
Middle Tennessee answered on an RBI groundout in the bottom of the inning to inch back closer to the Patriots. DBU would immediately return the favor in the fifth on a Miguel Santos three-run blast over the left field wall. Jay added his third RBI of the contest on a single through the left side, opening up a 7-1 advantage for the visiting Patriots.
 
The Blue Raiders took advantage of a trio of DBU errors in the bottom of the fifth, scoring on two wild pitches, and bringing home another run on a throwing error to narrow the deficit to 7-4.
 
In the sixth, Chayton Krauss hit a solo shot over the right field wall, his third home run of the day. Nathan Humphreys added a second Patriots' run in the inning with an RBI single through the right side.
 
Jerrod Jenkins started his first game in the weekend rotation this season. In 4.2 innings of work, Jenkins gave up three earned runs, allowing three hits and two walks, while registering five strikeouts.
 
After MTSU added a run on an RBI single, Michael Dattalo blasted a two-run homer in the seventh, followed by a pair of two-run blasts in the eighth from Ethan Mann and Alex Pendergast to put the Patriots up 15-5.
 
Relieving Jenkins was Nick Wilson, who surrendered just one run in 3.1 innings. Zach Todd took the mound in the ninth, retiring all three batters he faced and striking out two to close out the contest with a 15-6 victory for DBU.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- DBU has won at least 40 games in 11 of the last 13 seasons.
- The Patriots have hit 100 home runs on the season, becoming the fourth team in the program's Division I era to reach 100 home runs.
- DBU now has a half-game lead over Louisiana Tech for first place in the Conference USA standings.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
220 – MIguel Santos collected his 220th career hit to move him into 10th all-time in hits in DBU's Division I era.
3 – Chayton Krauss hit three home runs through two games on Thursday afternoon.
37 – DBU finished the doubleheader with a combined 30 runs and 37 hits.

UP NEXT 
DBU looks to complete the sweep of Middle Tennessee on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 pm at Reese Smith Jr. Field.


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