DBU (5-3, 0-0 CUSA) vs. ORAL ROBERTS (3-5, 0-0 SUM) and AIR FORCE (2-5, 0-0 MWC)
February 26-March 1 | Dallas, TX | Joan and Andy Horner Ballpark

GAME NOTES
 
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: Patriot Broadcasting Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Instagram: @dbu_baseball
Twitter/X: @DBU_Baseball
Facebook: DBU Baseball
 
DBU BASEBALL ON THE AIR
In their 15th season on the air, Reagan Ratcliff and Brendan Smith deliver all the action from Joan and Andy Horner Ballpark to Patriot fans. Every DBU home game is streamed live on ESPN+ with an additional audio broadcast on the Patriot Broadcasting Network.

PROBABLE STARTERS
Thursday
DBU: RHP Russ Smith (1-1 W-L, 15.43 ERA, 4.2 IP, 6 K, 6 BB)
vs.
ORU: RHP Easton Teel (1-1 W-L, 3.86 ERA, 9.1 IP, 7 K, 2 BB)
 
Friday
DBU: TBA
vs.
AF: TBA
 
Saturday
DBU: RHP Jerrod Jenkins (1-0 W-L, 3.38 ERA, 8.0 IP, 11 K, 5 BB)
vs.
ORU: RHP Conner Johnson (0-0 W-L, 3.52 ERA, 7.2 IP, 3 K, 4 BB)
 
Sunday
DBU: TBA
vs.
AF: TBA
 
LEADING OFF
BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN: After dropping a series to UTSA over the weekend, DBU took a midweek contest against UT Arlington, 6-1.
TRACK MEET: DBU stole eight bases on Tuesday, tying the program record for stolen bags in a game. Keaton Grady led the way with a career-high three stolen bases.
FOUR-HIT DAY: In Tuesday's win against UTA, Ben Tryon recorded the second four-hit performance of his career.
  
PATRIOT STORYLINES
STOPPING THE SKID: With Tuesday's win versus UT Arlington, the Patriots have not lost four straight games since 2023 and have had a losing streak of four or more games only four times since 2014.
HORNER SWEET HOME: DBU plays 7 of its next 8 games and 11 of its next 13 within the friendly confines of Horner Ballpark.
DANGEROUS OFFENSE: The Patriots boast one of the best offenses in Conference USA in the young season with a .314 batting average (2nd in CUSA), a .427 on-base percentage (2nd), and a .521 slugging percentage (2nd).
NO BREAKS IN THE LINEUP: All nine of DBU's statistically qualifying hitters are hitting at least .300. Adam Berghult is first on the team with a .400 batting average.
SETTING THE TONE: Jake Bennett is one of CUSA's top power bats, tying for the league lead in home runs (4) and sitting in fourth in slugging percentage (.828). He also leads DBU with a .513 on-base percentage and has reached base in 16 consecutive games, going back to 2025.
GETTING ON BASE: In addition to Bennett's 16-game on-base streak, Cooper Neville has reached base in 7 consecutive games with a plate appearance, Ryan Martin has reached base in 6 straight games, and Chayton Krauss and Ben Tryon have respective 5-game on-base streaks.
PATRIOT PUNCH OUTS: The DBU pitching staff is one of five in CUSA averaging more than 10 strikeouts per nine innings. The Patriots average 10.1 K/9 with Jerrod Jenkins topping the staff with a rate of 12.38 (8th in CUSA).
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE: DBU's defense tops CUSA in fielding percentage with a .985 clip. The Patriot infield has committed just one error through eight games.
MILESTONE WATCH: With 698 wins, Head Coach Dan Heefner sits just two wins shy of his 700th career victory.
 
SCOUTING ORAL ROBERTS
TRIP TO DALLAS: ORU makes a familiar trek to Dallas on the tails of a three-game losing streak after losing two of three to ACU over the weekend and dropping a midweek contest to Missouri State.
ELITE GLOVE WORK: The Golden Eagles feature one of the nation's elite defenses, committing only three errors through eight games for a .988 fielding percentage (12th in the nation).
EXPERIENCED HITTERS: The heart of the ORU lineup is three upperclassmen hitting above .300: senior Cooper Combs (.357), senior Makani Tanaka (.320), and redshirt junior Cooper Kelly (.308).
COMBS WITH THE POWER: Combs is the only Golden Eagle with multiple home runs this season. He leads the squad with 2 homers, 18 total bases, a .643 slugging percentage, and an 1.143 OPS.
ALL-AMERICAN ON THE MOUND: A Freshman All-American last season, right-handed pitcher Easton Teel anchors the starting rotation for ORU. In two starts, he owns a 3.86 ERA in 9.1 innings with 7 strikeouts and 2 walks.
  
SERIES HISTORY
Dating back to 1987, DBU leads the all-time series with ORU, 42-22. In the Patriots' Division I era, they have gone 36-13 against the Golden Eagles and have won 9 of the last 11 meetings.
 
SCOUTING AIR FORCE
LOSING STREAK: The Falcons find themselves on a four-game losing streak after going 0-3 last weekend with losses to Navy, Army, and South Carolina.
POWER FOUR COMPETITION: Of Air Force's seven opponents this season, four of them are members of a Power Four conference. The Falcons are 1-3 in those games, with the win coming against Penn State on Opening Day.
PITCHING DUO: With a team ERA of 6.05, Air Force showcases two starters with sub-3.00 ERAs in Josh Holst (2.70 ERA) and Gaines Estridge (2.77). They have thrown a combined 2.74 ERA in 23.0 innings with 23 strikeouts and 4 walks.
THIEVES ON THE BASES: The Falcons have been active on the basepaths, topping the Mountain West in stolen bases with 13 on 16 attempts. Eight different players have stolen a base this season, led by Brooks Burdine with 3.
NIEDNAGEL AT THE FOREFRONT: Senior infielder Ben Niednagel is the primary bat in the lineup with team-best marks in batting average (.348), on-base percentage (.464), slugging percentage (.522), and OPS (.986).
.300 CLUB: Including Niendagel (.348 batting average), four Falcons are hitting above .300, including TJ Oster (.318), Kayden Bradshaw (.316), and Tripp Garrish (.310).
 
SERIES HISTORY
Dating back to 2018, DBU owns the all-time series against Air Force, 7-6. The Falcons have taken five of the last six games between the two teams.
 
ON DECK
DBU will make a midweek road trip to face Oklahoma in Norman on Tuesday, March 3. First pitch between the Patriots and the Sooners is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Kimrey Family Stadium.