SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – DBU cashed in on a pair of Missouri State miscues to plate four early runs, before the mound duo of Jordan Martinson and Jarod Bayless combined to hold the Bears scoreless over the final eight innings of a 6-1 Patriot victory in the opening game of the two clubs' Missouri Valley Conference series Thursday evening at Hammons Field.

Martinson (6-3) fanned eight hitters and allowed just one run on five hits in his 7.0 innings, and Bayless closed out the win with two hitless innings of relief. Martinson retired nine Bears in a row from the third through the fifth frames and finished with at least eight punchouts for the seventh time in 12 starts this season.

DBU (32-13, 9-4 MVC) enjoyed the benefit of an early lead, as the Patriots scored four unearned runs off MSU starter Jake Lochner in the first two innings of the contest. Blayne Jones' drive to left-center field was misplayed for a two-base error leading off the first, and Jimmy Glowenke one-out single to right plated the game's first run.

The Bears (13-31, 4-9 MVC) answered with their lone scoring rally of the game in the home half of the first, using a leadoff walk to Jack Duffy and a John Privitera sacrifice bunt to set up the early offensive opportunity. Dakota Kotowski laced a two-out single up the middle, allowing Duffy to trot home from second with the equalizing run.

Luke Bandy ignited the Patriots' three-run, second-inning rally with a leadoff single, before swiping second and advancing to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Lochner appeared to have Bandy cornered for what would have been the second out of the inning after Evan Sandmann's hot shot back to the mound pinned the DBU baserunner in a rundown between third and home. But Lochner lost his footing, and Bandy avoided the tag but appeared to be well outside of the baseline before advancing home ahead of the throw for a 2-1 DBU advantage.

DBU took advantage of its good fortune with back-to-back, two-out RBI singles from Bryce Ball and Glowenke to stretch its lead to three runs.

After Martinson quieted the MSU bats through the middle portion of the game, the Patriot offense would tack on two more runs against Lochner in the sixth. Bandy walked and stole second before ultimately scoring on a wild pitch, and Andres Sosa drove home Christian Boulware with a base hit to center for a 6-1 DBU cushion.

Glowenke powered the DBU attack with a 3-for-5 night, highlighted by his two early RBI singles. Bandy scored twice and finished with two steals, and Sosa reached safely in three of his four plate appearances.

MSU was limited to five hits, paced by Anthony Herron, Jr.'s 2-for-4 effort, as the Bears dropped their eighth-consecutive MVC contest.

Lochner (3-2) suffered the setback for the Bears after allowing six runs (two earned) on four hits and five walks, despite striking out eight Patriots in his 5 1/3 innings. MSU relievers Hayden Juenger and Zach Gibbs joined forces to hold DBU to just two hits over the final 3.2 innings.
 
Up next, the Bears and Patriots will square off in game two of the series Friday (May 3) evening at 6:30 p.m.