May 26, 20211234567RHE
Valparaiso0002000260
Dallas Baptist028010112110
PitchingIPHRERBBSO
Win: Hamel (11-2) 5.2622111
Loss: Mintz (1-5) 2.258640
BattingABRHRBIBBHR
Hannahs (VALPO) 401000
Dent (VALPO) 311000
Renfro (VALPO) 311000
Schmack (VALPO) 301000
Johnson (VALPO) 301000
DiFederico (VALPO) 301200
Jones (DBU) 424301
BoxscorePlay-by-Play
Valpo Falls to DBU to Open Double-Elimination Portion of MVC Tournament
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Valpo Falls to DBU to Open Double-Elimination Portion of MVC Tournament

The Valparaiso University baseball team faced a quick turnaround with the first game of the day on Wednesday following a resilient, extra-inning win over Missouri State that wrapped up late Tuesday evening. Top-seeded DBU defeated Valpo 12-2 in seven innings to begin the double-elimination portion of the MVC Tournament at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale. Valpo will be back in action in an elimination game that begins at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

How It Happened

  • Valpo starter Ryan Mintz (Lombard, Ill. / Willowbrook) retired the side in order in the opening inning, but was touched for a pair of runs in the second, a DBU inning that was aided by a passed ball. A 5-4-3 double play helped minimize the second-inning damage to two.
  • DBU plated eight runs in the bottom of the third to increase the lead to 10-0.
  • Angel DiFederico ripped a two-run triple in the top of the fourth to get Valpo on the board. Riley Dent (Long Beach, Calif. / Wilson) and Brady Renfro (Antigo, Wis. / Antigo) had connected on back-to-back singles to start the inning and crossed the dish on the DiFederico drive to right center.
  • Griffin McCluskey (Normal, Ill. / Normal Community) worked a scoreless fourth, but DBU added to the lead in the fifth on a solo homer to make it 11-2.
  • Left-hander Jake Miller (Chesterton, N.Y. / Don Bosco Prep) came on for the sixth and worked a scoreless inning to keep the deficit at nine.
  • DBU scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to invoke the run rule.

Inside the Game

  • DiFederico’s triple was the first of his collegiate career.
  • Valpo’s six hits all came from different players.
  • Kaleb Hannahs (West Terre Haute, Ind. / West Vigo) extended his on-base streak to 18, tying Steven Fitzsimmons for the second-longest streak by a Valpo player this season behind Brady Renfro’s 21 gamer.
  • Valpo played errorless defense for the 18th time this season.
  • This was Valpo’s first game decided by a double-figure margin since a 12-1 setback on April 18 at Indiana State.

Up Next

Valpo (15-34) will play an elimination game on Thursday at 10 a.m. against the loser of Wednesday’s game between Indiana State and Illinois State. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with links to live video and stats available on ValpoAthletics.com.