DALLAS -- Indiana State baseball dropped the series opener to Dallas Baptist Friday night at Horner Ballpark, falling to the Patriots by its largest margin of the season, 12-2, in eight innings. The Sycamores fall to 34-12 overall and 11-5 in Missouri Valley Conference action while DBU move to 34-15 and 10-6.
 
The Patriots used a five-run seventh inning with all but one run coming with two outs on the scoreboard. In the inning, DBU was aided by a pair of errors and a ball that fell between three Sycamores in left field.
 
The seventh opened up with a high chopper that took a DBU spin away from Triston Polley between the mound and first base. Following a pitching change, DBU leadoff man Blayne Jones put a bunt down that was thrown away, putting runners at second and third, allowing s sacrifice fly extended the Patriot lead to 6-2. An intentional walk followed by a Jackson Glenn single put the Patriots ahead 7-2. Evan Sandman singled in a run before a throwing error on a ground ball to short scored two more Patriot runs to make it 10-2.
 
DBU tacked on two more runs in the eighth to end the game marking the first time since May 12, 2017 (Missouri State - 14-4) that ISU had been run-ruled.
 
The Sycamores jumped out to an early lead after plating two runs in the first inning after a pair of base hits from Clay Dungan and Jarrod Watkins. CJ Huntley was hit-by-pitch to load the bases before Dane Tofteland picked up the RBI bases-loaded walk. Roby Enriquez singled in Watkins with a single to the gap in right but a strikeout and a fly ball ended the inning prematurely.
 
It took just two batters for the Patriots to tie the game. Jones led off with a single through the right side before Bryce Ball homered to right field.
 
After two scoreless innings, Dallas Baptist took the lead in the fourth with a three-run home run from Jones, scoring Augie Isaacson and Andres Sosa who reach with two outs on a single and walk.
 
Sandman robbed a two-run double from Romero Harris with a diving effort in right field to end the third inning and Luke Bandy took away a leadoff base hit in the sixth with another gem in the right-center gap with the ball trailing away.
 
Jordan Martinson (7-3) went seven complete for the Patriots, allowing five base hits and two runs. The southpaw retired seven Sycamores on strikeouts and walked just one of the 29 batters he faced.
 
Polley was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs in six innings of action to the high-powered Patriot offense. The left-hander struck out four and issued four walks to fall to 6-1 on the season. The bullpen combined to allow seven hits and six runs (four earned) in an inning and two-thirds.
 
Jones led the Patriots with a 4-for-4 day at the plate with a double and a home run, scoring four runs and driving in three. Ball and Isaacson added a pair of hits each as DBU outhit Indiana State, 13-6.
 
Dungan and Enriquez each tallied two hits to lead the Sycamores at the plate. .
 
UP NEXT
The Sycamores will look to even the series with the Patriots Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET from Horner Ballpark with the action airing live on ESPNU.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.