THE RUNDOWN
The Patriots took game one of Saturday's doubleheader with Valparaiso by a score of 5-1. The win is DBU's (28-17, 7-6) third in a row and 10th straight over the Beacons since 2018. Jacob Meador earned the win with eight strikeouts through 6.0 innings pitched, and Bubba Hall fanned four to get his first three-inning save in a Patriot uniform.

In the home half of the first inning, Kyle Schmack homered on a 0-2 offering from Meador that gave Valporasio (14-26, 3-10) its first and only run of the ballgame. But DBU got the run right back in the second frame. Andrew Benefield drew a walk on a five-pitch at-bat and came home to score on an RBI single from Blayne Jones that was lined into left field. 

After two scoreless innings, the Pats busted out of the 1-1 tie in a four-run fifth inning. After Luke Heefner was hit by a pitch, Blayne Jones singled to right-center, and Nate Humphreys drew a walk to quickly load the bases. Miguel Santos then drove in the go-ahead score with a sacrifice fly out to right field. Jace Grady and Ryan Wrobleski would get in on the action with back-to-back base hits in a quick, three-run outburst. Finally, Grady stole third and dashed home on a throwing error that ended the day's scoring in a 5-1 contest. 

The Beacons would load the bases in the sixth and threatened to answer with a crooked number of their own. But Meador rallied after giving up two walks and a leadoff double with a slider that ended the inning. 

Bubba Hall took over pitching duties in the seventh inning and did his part to keep Valporasio quiet. He conceded just three hits and issued one walk in another quality appearance out of the bullpen. 

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 
-DBU takes a 1-0 lead in the series with Valparaiso and can clinch the series with a win in game two. 
-With 87 strikeouts, Jacob Meador needs one more to pass Rhett Kouba (2021) for the 10th most in DBU's DI era. 
-The Pats improve to 10-9 on the road and climb back out to 11 games over .500. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 
2 - Blayne Jones led the offensive charge with two hits and a run batted in. 
22 - Jace Grady swiped a bag for the 22nd time this season. 
12 - The Patriots and the Beacons combined for just 12 base hits in game one. 

ON DECK 
DBU faces Valparaiso in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at 3:07 p.m.  Read Full Article