FRESNO, Calif.- The University of Portland baseball team struggled at the plate, recording only two runs on four hits as Dallas Baptist claimed third place at the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic with a 7-2 win Saturday afternoon. Portland (3-13) got a two-run homer from sophomore Gustaf Little in the fifth inning to make it a 4-2 game, but never advanced a runner past second base after that as Dallas Baptist (16-7) tacked on three more runs and the Pilots were relegated to fourth place of the six-team field.

The Patriots got to Portland starter Stephen Ball early, knocking him out of the game in the third inning. Ryan Olivo’s sacrifice fly gave DBU a 1-0 lead in the first, then Drew Noss and Cody Montgomery hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning to account for three more runs. Pilot freshman right-hander Sean Sargent was called in to pitch and went 5.1 innings and was credited with the other three Patriot runs. Senior Kyle Corra tossed a scoreless ninth for Portland.

Pilot shortstop Jesse Rodgers singled in the fifth and scored on Little’s bomb to left field to cut the lead in half, but DBU would score two of their own in the six on a two-run homer by Drew Holder and one more in the eighth on Holder’s second dinger of the day.

Ball (0-3) went 2.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and walking two. Patriots starter Craig Bartosh picked up his first win of the year after five innings of work and allowing just the two runs. Three DBU relievers went the final four innings without allowing a hit or walk.

In addition to Little’s homer and Rodgers’ single, Travis Vetters hit a triple in the first and Colton Homme singled in the third. Holder was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI for the Patriots. Noss also had three hits along with two runs and two RBI.

Portland heads home for a much-needed five days off before getting the conference schedule started on the road against San Francisco with a three-game series on March 19-21. The Pilots then return to Pilot Stadium, hosting Utah Valley State on March 23-24 in a two-game, nonconference series.