DALLAS – Dallas Baptist scored five times over the first three innings, then relied on the pitching of Darick Hall to post a 7-2 victory over Missouri State Saturday afternoon at Horner Ballpark.
Hall (7-3) turned in the second-straight shutdown performance by a DBU pitcher versus Missouri State, limiting the Bears to a single first-inning run on a total of three hits in his 6.0 innings. The junior, who also doubled, walked and drove in a run in his four plate appearances, retired the final 10 batters he faced in succession and followed up Colin Poche's 14-strikeout performance in Friday's game with seven more punchouts of MSU hitters in game two of the series.
After rallying from a 2-0 deficit to claim a 9-5 win Friday night, the Patriots mounted another comeback in game two, scoring single runs in the first and second innings, before opening up a four-run lead with a three-run rally in the fourth.
With their second-straight come-from-behind victory in as many days against MSU, the Patriots (34-15, 13-3 MVC) inched closer to their first MVC regular-series title, while sending the Bears (29-19, 3-13 MVC) to their ninth consecutive Valley defeat.
Trooper Reynolds and David Martinelli made the most of their DBU Senior Days, with each turning in two-hit games to lead the Patriots' nine-hit attack. Reynolds RBI single helped spur DBU's three-run fourth, while each of Martinelli's singles aiding in Patriot scoring rallies.
Just as they did in Friday's series opener, the Bears got an early lift from Alex Jefferson to generate a first-inning scoring opportunity. This time, the junior outfielder laced a one-out single to center off Hall, then came all the way around on Spencer Johnson's double to left for a 1-0 MSU lead.
But, as they did in their game one victory, the Patriots responded to the Bears' early rally with a series of early scoring chances to seize the upper hand. Leadoff walks in each of the first two innings ultimately came home to roost against MSU starter Jordan Knutson, with an RBI ground out by Hall tying the score in the first, before Garrett Wolforth put DBU on top with a run-scoring single in the second.
Already holding a 2-1 lead, the Patriots put some distance between themselves and the Bears with a three-run third that was made possible with the help of a one-out defensive miscue. After Knutson got the first out on a fly ball to center, Austin Listi's ground ball to shortstop was misplayed to open the door for DBU.
The next three Patriots would record hits, starting with Hall's double to left and concluding with back-to-back run-scoring singles by Reynolds and Justin Wall. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Camden Duzenack brought home Reynolds with the third run of the inning, stretching the DBU lead to 5-1.
The home club capitalized on three more walks, a pair of wild pitches and a passed ball to push the margin to six runs with two sixth-inning tallies. Tim Millard's second hit of the day started the rally, and Martinelli extended it with his second single.
MSU sophomore Austin Knight provided a bright spot with 2 1/3 innings of no-hit relief. The right-hander struck out five and allowed just one baserunner to keep the Patriots off the scoreboard.
But Hall and DBU reliever Landon Wilson combined to hold the lead, as the duo combined to retire 12 MSU hitters in a row, before a walk to Aaron Meyer and a two-out double by Eduardo Castro in the seventh accounted for the Bears' second run of the game.
Johnson reached base safely in three of his four trips to the plate to lead the MSU offense, going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and an RBI. Knutson (5-6) sustained his fifth consecutive defeat after allowing seven runs (five earned) on nine hits over his 5.2 innings of work.
The Bears and Patriots will wrap up their series Sunday (May 15) with a 1:05 p.m. contest.
