Fort Worth Regional: Dallas Baptist Stays Alive

Dallas Baptist came into the Fort Worth Regional known as a power hitting ball club. And through two games, they’ve delivered on that reputation. In Saturday’s loss to Virginia and then in Sunday’s win over Central Connecticut State, every single run scored has come the way of the long ball. In two games the Patriots have hit eight home runs to score nine runs.

CCSU got on the board first in top of the first on a Mitch Guilmette RBI single. After that, the Dallas Baptist bats showed up. Matt Duce hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second and then just a few batters later, Dallas Baptist was finally able to connect on a big fly with a runner on base when Camden Duzenack hit a home run to left field scoring Tim Millard. The Patriots would add another in the third when team home run leader, Austin Listi hit his first home run of the Regional.

The Blue Devils would come right back though scoring a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to make the score 4-3. But Dallas Baptist would answer as Listi hit his second home run of the game in the bottom half.

CCSU got within one again in the seventh when TT Bowens doubled to score Ryan Costello. The Patriots would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on their fifth home run of the game. This one from Devlin Granberg. And they would need it too as CCSU scored a run on Guilmette’s single to score Costello in the top of the ninth. But the Patriot’s Seth Elledge closed the door in the ninth ending any rally the Blue Devils could muster.

The Patriots and their bats await the loser of the game between Virginia and TCU while CCSU has been eliminated. The Blue Devils end their season 36-22 and were champions of the NEC. The game between Dallas Baptist and the loser of Virginia vs. TCU should be on Monday, however at this point, who knows.