No. 17 DBU (9-3, 0-0 CUSA) vs. LOUISIANA (6-7, 0-0 SUN BELT)
March 7-9 | Lafayette, LA | M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park

GAME COVERAGE
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: Patriot Broadcasting Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
X: @DBU_Baseball
Instagram: @dbu_baseball
Facebook: DBU Baseball

PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday
DBU: RHP Micah Bucknam (1-0 W-L, 5.87 ERA, 15.1 IP, 24 K, 5 BB)
at
ULL: RHP Matthew Holzhammer (0-1 W-L, 5.12 ERA, 7 IP, 6 K, 3 BB)

Saturday
DBU: RHP James Ellwanger (0-0 W-L, 0.90 ERA, 10.0 IP, 14 K, 4 BB)
at
ULL: TBA

Sunday
DBU: RHP Rian Schwede (3-0 W-L, 2.12 ERA, 17.0 IP, 16 K, 2 BB)
at
ULL: TBA

PATRIOT STORYLINES
- DBU is ranked in all five major polls for the fourth consecutive week. The Patriots are ranked as high as No. 17 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
- DBU hit four home runs in their 11-0 win over No. 10 Oklahoma on Tuesday. Chayton Krauss homered in each of his first two at-bats, while Grant Jay and Michael Dattalo each went deep.
- Grant Jay's home run on Tuesday was the 49th of his career, moving him into second all-time in home runs in DBU Baseball history. He is five home runs from breaking Austin Listi's (2013-17) program record of 53.
- DBU's pitching staff boasts a 3.72 ERA and ranks 17th in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (11.5)
- The weekend rotation of Micah Bucknam, James Ellwanger, and Rian Schwede has combined to go 4-0 with a 3.21 ERA and compiled 54 strikeouts in 42.1 innings.
- Five regulars in DBU's starting lineup are hitting above .340: Grant Jay (.442), Joey Nerat (.410), Chayton Krauss (.354), Tom Poole (.341), and Nathan Humphreys (.341).
- Grant Jay enters this weekend ranked in the top 20 nationally in four categories: #5 in slugging % (1.070), #6 in home runs (9), #8 in total bases (46), and #16 in runs (20),
- DBU lead-off hitter Nathan Humphreys has reached safely in all 12 games. Last Sunday, he became the sixth Patriot to steal 40 bases in a career.
- The Patriots' .978 fielding percentage ranks second in Conference USA entering this weekend.

SCOUTING LOUISIANA
- The Ragin' Cajuns hold a 6-7 record through the first two weeks of the 2025 season, having already played two weekend series' against ranked opponents (Nebraska, UC Irvine). 
- Louisiana's 6-5 win over UNC Wilmington this past Tuesday snapped a three-game losing streak, all suffered in Irvine last weekend.
-The Ragin' Cajuns fared better the weekend prior against the Cornhuskers, taking that series 2-1 with wins on Saturday and Sunday. 
- The Louisiana lineup features just one regular who holds an OPS over 1.000; Conor Higgs (1.100). Higgs is followed by Drew Markle, who rocks an .824 clip. No other Ragin' Cajun with three or more appearances has an OPS over .800.
- Higgs leads the team with four home runs on the young season, followed by Markle and Caleb Stelly who have swatted two each.
- The Ragin' Cajuns are moderately active on the basepaths, averaging just over 2 stolen base attempts per game. They currently rock a team-wide 70.3% success rate on steals. Markle leads the team with seven attempts (5-7).

SERIES HISTORY
- Louisiana leads the all-time series over DBU, 5-0. 
- The teams last met in 1999 when DBU was an NAIA program. This weekend marks their first matchup since the Patriots made the jump to the NCAA Division I ranks in 2004.

ON DECK
The Patriots will host the Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-5, 0-0 BIG 12) at Horner Ballpark for another midweek thriller on Tuesday, March 11. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.