THE RUNDOWN
Friday night, DBU (24-18, 13-6 CUSA) came from behind to defeat Florida International (13-28, 5-14 CUSA) by a score of 10-5, on the backs of a seven-run top of the ninth.
Jake Bennett led the way for the Patriots offensively, swatting two home runs in the comeback effort.
Russ Smith tossed a scoreless 3.2 innings in relief to keep the game close before slamming the door in the ninth and earning the win.
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The Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a Caden Sammler two-run double.
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The score would remain the same until the top of the fourth, when
Jake Bennett launched his first home run of the night, a solo blast over the left field wall. In the fifth, DBU would continue chipping away as
Ryan Martin came in to score on an
Adam Berghult infield single. After five innings of play, the Patriots trailed 3-2.
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In the bottom of the sixth, FIU ran their lead back up to three runs as Marc Hersh drove in two with a double to left center.
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Cooper Neville would make it a 5-3 ballgame in the top of the seventh as he pulled an RBI single to right field, scoring
Dylan Schlaegel.
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Russ Smith delivered two scoreless frames after Neville's tally, rolling a double play in the seventh and striking out two in the eighth.
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The lid came off the bottle for the DBU offense in the top of the ninth, as they exploded for a seven-run frame. Five consecutive hitters reached base to start the inning before a single out was made, a stretch that included a
Mac Rose two-run double, a
Brooks Sartain RBI single, and
Jake Bennett's second homer of the evening. Later in the frame,
Chayton Krauss drove in
Ben Tryon with a double to left-center before scoring on a sacrifice fly off the bat of
Ryan Martin.
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Now defending a five-run lead,
Russ Smith would walk the lead-off hitter before retiring the next three Panthers he faced in order, sealing the comeback victory.
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THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Cooper Neville (two doubles) and
Jake Bennett (two home runs) were the only two players tonight with multiple extra-base hits.
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Russ Smith has only allowed two earned runs in his last 12.2 innings pitched.
- Both teams left seven runners on base tonight.
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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
13 -
Jake Bennett has retaken the team lead in home runs, hitting nos. 12 and 13 tonight.
2 - Patriot arms only allowed a combined two extra-base hits tonight.
6 - The DBU offense totaled six hits in its seven-run ninth inning.
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ON DECK
The Patriots will continue their series with Florida International tomorrow. Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CST.
