HOUSTON – No. 1 DBU beat No. 4 WKU 5-0 in the second game of day four of the 2023 Conference USA Baseball Championship on Saturday afternoon from Reckling Park in Houston on the campus of Rice University. The Patriots' win eliminated the Hilltoppers and punched DBU’s ticket to Sunday’s title game, which will take place Sunday at 1 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network against the winner of Saturday night’s semifinal between Charlotte and Middle Tennessee.
 
DBU starter Zach Heaton threw a gem on Saturday afternoon for the Patriots, tossing 6.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits, striking out five and walking just one.
 
DBU opened the scoring with a Miguel Santos majestic 417-foot, two-run blast in the bottom of the second to deep left to spot the Patriots a 2-0 lead.
 
The Patriots extended their lead via the long ball again, as Grant Jay sent one 420 feet off the scoreboard in right to make it 3-0.
 
DBU extended its lead to 4-0 when Kodie Kolden came around to score on a wild pitch after he walked, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout.
 
WKU put multiple runners on for the first time in the top of the seventh, however they were stranded as DBU kept the Hilltopper threat at bay.
 
The Patriots added to their lead in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run by Ethan Mann to straightaway center field, his third long ball of the tournament, and the Patriots held on to win 5-0 and book a trip to Sunday’s title game.