THE RUNDOWN
No.21 DBU dropped its opener in the Tucson Regional in a 4-1 loss to West Virginia on Friday afternoon at Hi Corbett Field. Mountaineers' senior left-hander Derek Clark tossed a complete game and limited the Patriots to just one run on four hits to send DBU into the loser's bracket.
After neither team could score through the first two innings, West Virginia's Logan Sauve boomed a three-run homer to center to give the Mountaineers a 3-0 lead.
DBU threatened to narrow the deficit in the bottom of the frame with runners on the corners but Michael Dattalo was picked off at first to end the inning.
In the sixth, West Virginia led off with back-to-back singles before Reed Chumley sliced an RBI double to make it a 4-0 ballgame. With two runners in scoring position and no outs, the Patriots were able to minimize the damage with the combination of a strikeout, line out, and fly out.
Patriot ace Ryan Johnson worked 6.0 innings and fell to 11-3 on the year after giving up four earned runs on six hits and two walks while registering four strikeouts.
Dillon Haines and River Ridings relieved Johnson for the final 3.0 innings of the ballgame and kept DBU within striking distance.
The Patriots' offense showed life in the eighth when Nathan Humphreys was hit by a pitch to lead-off the inning and reached third on an Alex Pendergast double. With runners at second and third and nobody out, Luke Heefner lined a sacrifice fly to right to bring home Humphreys and put DBU on the board. Still threatening in the eighth with a runner on second and just one out, Dattalo flew out, and Chayton Krauss grounded out to go into the final inning in a three-run hole.
After River Ridings induced a double play to get out of the top of the ninth unscathed, the Patriots were unable to rally in their half of the ninth as Miguel Santos and Tom Poole each lined out, and Ethan Mann flew out to end the game.
Mountaineers' starter Derek Clark struck out eight Patriot batters in his complete game effort and did not issue a walk.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- 1-3 in the Patriot lineup went 0-for-12.
- DBU's lone extra-base hit was Alex Pendergast's double.
- Michael Dattalo saw his nine-game hit streak come to an end.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
7 – Alex Pendergast extended his hit streak to seven games.
4 – DBU's four hits are tied for their fewest hits in a game this season.
3 – Dillon Haines and River Ridings combined to work 3.0 shutout innings.
UP NEXT
DBU will face the loser of Arizona versus Grand Canyon in the first elimination game of the Tucson Regional. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. (CST) at Hi Corbett Field.
