THE RUNDOWN
Rian Schwede's career outing propelled No. 17 (8-3) DBU past Oral Roberts (6-4) on Sunday afternoon at Chapman Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Schwede went a career-long seven innings, striking out five batters and surrendering only one run.
 
It looked like a pitcher's duel early on as neither team found a hit through the first two innings. The Patriots broke through in the third thanks to three walks and a sacrifice bunt that loaded the bases for Chayton Krauss, who poked a ball through the left side for a two-RBI single and a 2-0 DBU lead.
 
In the fourth, Joey Nerat started the frame with his fourth double of the season and came around to score on a Cody Grebeck base knock. Mason Swinney, who walked in his plate appearance, scored from third later in the inning on an RBI groundout by Nathan Humphreys.
 
The Golden Eagles' Makani Tanaka became his squad's first run of the contest after he led off the home half of the fourth with a double to left center field. Second baseman, Jack Schark, drove him in on a two-out single, but it was the only run scored ORU in the inning.
 
DBU added to its 4-1 advantage two innings later when, with runners on the corners and two outs, Mason Swinney and Nathan Humphreys executed a double steal that allowed Swinney to cross home plate and stretch the margin to five runs. In the same at-bat, Grant Jay tripled to score Humphreys from second, but Jay was tagged out at home by the Golden Eagles' relay on his attempt at an inside-the-park home run.
 
Rian Schwede stayed steady on the mound in his third start for the Patriots. Outside the fourth inning, no Golden Eagle advanced farther than first base in his seven innings of work. With exceptional command throughout the day, he threw five strikeouts and no walks while giving up only one run on six hits.
 
Just as the game looked to be over, ORU put up a four-spot in the eighth to make it a 6-5 game heading into the ninth. Needing to hold the Golden Eagles at bay, Dan Heefner elected for Nick Bonn to take the bump in a save situation. Bonn worked quickly and efficiently, forcing a pop out on two pitches by shortstop Martell Davis, a groundout by ORU's leadoff man Will Edmunson, and punching out Tanaka on the game's final play. The three-up-three-down inning sealed the game and gave Bonn the first save of his career.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- DBU took two of three games against ORU to win its first road series of the season.
- The Patriots have won all three of their weekend series this season. They are a total of 8-1 in those games.
- Grant Jay's triple in the sixth inning was DBU's first of the season. It was also the second three-bagger of his career.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
3 - The Patriots stole three bases on back-to-back days to finish the three-game set with the Golden Eagles.
7 - Rian Schwede's seven-inning outing was the longest of his career.
10 - All 10 of Nick Bonn's pitches in the ninth were strikes.
 
UP NEXT
DBU heads back to Horner Ballpark for a showdown with Oklahoma on Tuesday night. First pitch is slated for 6:05 p.m. Read Full Article