THE RUNDOWN
Sunday afternoon, DBU (21-15, 11-4 CUSA) came from behind to defeat Sam Houston State (14-21, 4-11 CUSA) by a score of 5-4, utilizing extra innings to finish their first conference sweep of 2026. Just two of
Ryan Borberg's four runs allowed were earned, as the Patriot starter went four and two-thirds innings, striking out two.
Dylan Schlaegel carried the load offensively, reaching base four times and leaving the yard twice.
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Borberg and SHSU's Tate Hickman traded zeros in the first inning, before the Bearkats jumped ahead in the bottom of the second with a three-run frame.
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After a scoreless third, Sam Houston State added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth, as Wes Baker lifted a two-out solo homer to center field.
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The Patriots would finally scratch a run across off Hickman in the sixth, as
Ryan Martin and
Chayton Krauss both reached base on the first pitch they saw to lead off the inning. With one out in the inning,
Dylan Schlaegel punched an RBI single up the middle to plate Martin. Krauss would be left stranded on second base, but the comeback trail was on for DBU.
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Jerrod Jenkins went out for his first full inning of work in the bottom of the sixth after picking up the third out of the fifth, and tossed the first of his consecutive three-up, three-down frames.
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Trailing 4-1 entering the eighth inning,
Dylan Schlaegel crushed the first of his two homers of the afternoon with one out in the frame to bring DBU within two runs.
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Jenkins retired the first two Bearkats he faced in the bottom of the eighth, before Sean Bazemore reached on an infield single. In the following at-bat, Parker Blackman tattooed the first pitch he saw to the left field corner, where
Ben Tryon fielded the ball and fired it into
Dylan Cupp, who gunned Bazemore at the plate, keeping the score at 4-2.
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Dylan Cupp singled, and
Luke Pettitte worked a full-count walk to lead off the top of the ninth.
Landon Underhill would pinch run for the designated hitter Pettitte, and after a
Ben Tryon flyout, the Patriots were threatening with runners on the corners with one away. Underhill would swipe second in the following at-bat and force a throwing error that would result in Cupp scoring to make the game 4-3. Later on in the at-bat,
Ryan Martin grounded into a fielder's choice, driving in Underhill, and tying the game at four.
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Jenkins recorded the first two outs of the ninth but would be lifted for
Armani Knipper after allowing a two-out full-count walk to the lead-off man in the order, Caleb Cotton. Knipper would strand runners on first and second to send the game to extra innings.
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On the third pitch of the tenth inning,
Dylan Schlaegel belted a 408-foot blast over the left field wall to give DBU its first lead of the afternoon, and it would be all the run support that the Patriots needed to complete the sweep.
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Knipper recorded two outs in the ninth before being relieved by
Athan Kroll, who punched out Parker Blackman with a looping curve at the bottom of the zone to put a bow on the weekend series.
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THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- This is DBU's first weekend series sweep since opening weekend in February (Binghamton).
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Dylan Schlaegel recorded his first four-hit game of the season.
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Athan Kroll earned his team-leading sixth save of the campaign this afternoon.
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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2 - Schlaegel became the fourth Patriot to post a multi-homer game this season (Bennett, Berghult, Krauss).
4 - Four strikeouts is the fewest that the DBU pitching staff has recorded in a win this year.
11.1 -
Jerrod Jenkins has not conceded an earned run in his last 11.1 innings of work.
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ON DECK
DBU will host UT Arlington (14-20, 3-3 WAC) at Horner Ballpark this Tuesday for a DFW midweek showdown. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
