HUNTSVILLE – The DBU Patriots powered their way to a 6-4 win over Sam Houston on Friday night in the opener of a 3-game series at Don Sanders Stadium.

DBU (19-15, 9-4 CUSA) homered three times in the middle innings and starter Liam Watt was able to wiggle out of trouble for 6.0 innings to give the Patriots the early edge in the series.

Sam Houston (14-19, 4-9 CUSA) made it interesting in the ninth, scoring one on a bases-loaded walk by Cade Corcoran, but DBU closer Athan Kroll managed to leave the tying runs on base to close out his fifth save of the year.  

Ty Marthiljohni homered and drove in both of the Kats’ (14-19, 4-9 CUSA) runs and Jeric Curtis finished with four hits of his own, but Sam Houston was unable to get the big hit when it needed it, leaving 11 runners on base in the game.

Starter Ryan Peterson struck out nine and did not walk a batter, but fell to 3-4 on the year with the loss after allowing four runs – three earned – in 6.0 innings of work.

The Kats got the early lead in the fourth on a ground ball from Marthiljohni and Peterson was nearly unhittable until the fifth when an error and a single set things up for Berghult who tugged a 3-run homer out to left field to put the Patriots in front.

That started a string of three consecutive innings which included DBU homers as Ryan Martin hit a solo blast in the sixth and Berghult added his second of the night in the seventh, matching a solo homer from Marthiljohni in the bottom of the sixth.

Corcoran reached on an error to open the eighth and took advantage of the extra out by scoring on a wild pitch with two outs to cut the lead to 5-3. But the Patriots responded with a key insurance run in the ninth before they handed the ball to Kroll.

UP NEXT

Sam Houston will look to even the series with Dallas Baptist on Saturday at Don Sanders Stadium. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. and is scheduled to be aired on ESPN+.

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