THE RUNDOWN

The DBU Patriots (25-11) defeated the 15th ranked TCU Horned Frogs (28-10) 6-5 in 10 innings on Tuesday evening at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas in a very tight and contested ballgame.
 

The Horned Frogs struck early in the first as Karson Bowen tripled to lead off the ballgame and Sawyer Strosnider drove him home on an RBI double. Strosnider then came home to score on an RBI groundout by Cole Cramer to give TCU an early 2-0 lead. The Horned Frogs attempted to start another rally in the third, but Cody Grebeck made an outstanding diving catch to rob Cramer and end the threat. 

Horned Frogs starter Trever Baumler was dominant throughout the first four innings, retiring the first eleven hitters for the Patriots before Chayton Krauss hit a two out double in the fourth. In the third, Liam Watt came on in relief of DBU starter Jerrod Jenkins and was able to deliver a season-high five strikeouts in three scoreless innings out of the bullpen. 

In the sixth, the Patriots got on the board after Ben Tryon singled to lead off the inning. After Tryon advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Grebeck, Grant Jay drove him in on an RBI single to cut the Horned Frogs lead to 2-1. The Patriots continued to threaten in the inning, but Horned Frogs reliever Gianluca Shinn struck out Jake Bennett to end the threat.

In the bottom of the inning, Noah Franco launched a solo HR to center field to extend the TCU lead to 3-1. However, the Patriots were able to create another rally in the top of the seventh. After Keaton Grady singled and Joey Nerat walked, Michael Dattalo singled through right side, scoring Grady and cutting the lead once again to 3-2. Back to back walks from Tryon and Grebeck then tied the game up at 3. An RBI groundout from Nathan Humphreys then gave the Patriots their first lead of the night at 4-3. 

In the eighth, the Patriots added a huge insurance run as Grady doubled to left center field and later scored on an RBI single by Dattalo. In the bottom of the half of the inning, pinch hitter Jack Arthur tied the game at five on an RBI double that scored both Cramer and Chase Brunson. Both sides then retired the side in the ninth inning, sending the game into extra innings. 

After the Patriots loaded the bases in the tenth, Cody Grebeck drew a bases loaded walk to give the Patriots a 6-5 lead. The Horned Frogs threatened in the bottom of tenth, putting two runners on base, but Nick Bonn came on in relief and got Anthony Silva to pop up on the infield to record his second save of the season. 

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- This was the first extra innings matchup between DBU and TCU since February 28, 2023 in Dallas.
- The DBU bullpen tandem of Liam Watt, Mason Swinney, Tyler Schott, Mason Peters, and Nick Bonn recorded eleven strikeouts on the evening. 
- DBU picks up their first-ever win against the Horned Frogs in an extra inning ballgame. 
 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
4 - Keaton Grady recorded his fourth three hit game of the season this evening. 

196 - Nathan Humphreys is now four hits shy of 200 hits for his Patriot career. 
7 - The bottom three hitters in the DBU lineup reached base safely seven times this evening. 
 

UP NEXT
The Patriots return to Dallas for a CUSA series against the Sam Houston Bearkats. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM at Horner Ballpark.