#19 DBU (27-8) vs LOUISIANA TECH (27-12)
April 19-21 | Dallas, TX | Horner Ballpark
 
DBU GAME NOTES - (PDF)

MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: Patriot Broadcasting Network
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
Twitter: @DBU_Baseball
Facebook: DBU Baseball
 
DBU BASEBALL ON THE AIR
Fans can catch all of this weekend's action between DBU and Louisiana Tech on the Patriot Broadcasting Network. The broadcast team of Reagan Ratcliff and Brendan Smith are in their 13th season together on the air, bringing every pitch to Patriot Baseball fans in 2024.

PROBABLE STARTERS 
Friday
DBU – RHP Ryan Johnson (6-1 W-L, 1.66 ERA, 65.0 IP, 91 K, 8 BB)
vs.
LT – RHP Reed Smith (4-3 W-L, 6.00 ERA, 42.0 IP, 44 K, 10 BB)
 
Saturday
DBU – RHP Jaron DeBerry (4-1 W-L, 3.78 ERA, 50.0 IP, 47 K, 20 BB)
vs.
LT – LHP Luke Nichols (3-1 W-L, 3.83 ERA, 42.1 IP, 40 K, 14 BB)
 
Sunday
DBU – RHP Luke Pettitte (3-1 W-L, 3.34 ERA, 32.1 IP, 40 K, 7 BB)
vs.
LT – RHP Turner Swistak (4-2 W-L, 6.37 ERA, 35.1 IP, 33 K, 13 BB)

 PATRIOT STORYLINES
-DBU completed a season sweep of Oklahoma State with an 8-7 victory over the 15th-ranked Cowboys on Tuesday in Stillwater. The Patriots hit a season-high five home runs in the win.
- Chayton Krauss belted two home runs, including a two-run shot in the ninth, to lift DBU to a comeback win over Oklahoma State.
- Miguel Santos became the 16th player in DBU's Division I era to collect 200 career hits. Santos' milestone hit came as a solo homer to tie the game in the seventh inning on Tuesday.
- The Patriots enter this week nationally ranked in all five major polls for the eighth straight week. DBU is ranked as high as #19 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
- According to D1Baseball, the Patriots boast the #19 RPI in the nation. DBU is 5-0 versus teams with an RPI ranking in the top 25 and has compiled 12 wins with teams in the top 100.
- DBU's starting pitching and defense have been strengths in 2024. The Patriots rank #5 nationally in fielding (.982) and #11 in ERA (3.83).
- The Patriots' 38 double plays are the fifth-most in college baseball. The 2006 team holds the program record with 61 twin killings.
- A big reason behind DBU's double-play ball success is a Patriot pitching staff that ranks #4 in the nation in groundball percentage (50.9).
- Ryan Johnson ranks second in the nation in strikeouts (91) and ninth in ERA (1.66).
- Johnson is just nine strikeouts away from reaching the century mark this year and 23 from becoming the program's all-time leader in strikeouts.
- Grant Jay leads CUSA in home runs (13) and ranks fifth in RBI (37).
- Chayton Krauss has reached safely in all 35 games in his first year as a Patriot. Krauss has also yet to commit an error in 226 chances.
- Luke Heefner ranks #5 in the nation in sacrifice bunts (9). Heefner's four bunts from passing Camden Duzenack (2015) for the most sacrifice bunts in program history.

SCOUTING LOUISIANA TECH
- Louisiana Tech enters this weekend with a 27-12 overall record after being swept at Arizona last weekend and defeating Louisiana-Monroe on Tuesday.
- With a 6-3 conference record, the Bulldogs are tied with the Patriots for 2^nd place in Conference USA.
- On offense, Louisiana Tech has five players hitting over .300: Cole McConnell (.404), Ethan Bates (.335), Dalton Davis (.328), Michael Ballard (.317), and Jorge Corona (.308).
- Versatile star Ethan Bates is tied for first nationally in saves (10) and also ranks 16th overall in doubles (15).
- As a team, Louisiana Tech ranks 11th in hits (407), 60th in batting average (.297), and has hit 41 home runs.
- The Bulldogs' pitching staff is 67^th in earned run average (4.98), 34^th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.1), and 81^st in walks allowed per nine innings (4.21).
- Lane Burroughs has been Louisiana Tech's head coach since 2017 and has led the Bulldogs to 2 regional appearances during his time in Ruston.

SERIES HISTORY
- The Patriots are 15-15 against the Bulldogs in a series that dates back to 1982.
- DBU won 5-of-6 last year against Louisiana Tech, including a three-game sweep of the Bulldogs at Horner Ballpark.
 
ON DECK
DBU makes the short trip to Forth Worth for a rematch with TCU. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm at Lupton Stadium