DBU (14-11, 4-2 CUSA) vs. MISSOURI STATE (16-7, 5-1 CUSA)
March 27-29 | Dallas, TX | Joan and Andy Horner Ballpark
 
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. All Patriots home games stream live on ESPN+, and an additional audio broadcast is available on the Patriot Broadcasting Network.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday
DBU: LHP Liam Watt (3-1 W-L, 1.84 ERA, 29.1 IP, 23 SO, 4 BB)
vs.
MSU: RHP Ross Felder (1-0 W-L, 2.29 ERA, 19.2 IP, 18 SO, 4 BB)
 
Saturday
DBU: RHP Jared Schaeffer (3-0 W-L, 4.45 ERA, 28.1 IP, 21 SO, 10 BB)
vs.
MSU: RHP Owen Slater (3-2 W-L, 5.02 ERA, 28.2 IP, 24 SO, 16 BB)
 
Sunday
DBU: TBA
vs.
MSU: TBA
 
LEADING OFF
DROPPED MIDWEEK: Despite leading 5-1 through six innings, DBU lost 11-5 to TCU on Tuesday.
FOUR DOUBLES: Jake Bennett, Chayton Krauss, Luke Pettitte, and Ben Tryon each hit a double on Tuesday for the most doubles by DBU (four) since the second game of the season.
NEW FACE ON FRIDAY: With a team-high 13 appearances (8th in the nation), Liam Watt is scheduled to make his second career start on Friday for the Patriots.
 
TOP STORYLINES
RIVALRY RENEWED: DBU hosts former Missouri Valley Conference rival Missouri State in the Bears' first year as members of Conference USA. It will be the programs' first meetings since 2022.
SLUGGING OFFENSE: The Patriots boast one of the most powerful offenses in the country, belting 51 home runs (4th in the nation), slugging .542 (16th), and scoring 9.3 runs per game (17th).
PATIENCE AT THE PLATE: In addition to its power, DBU has displayed premier patience at the plate, drawing 145 walks to lead CUSA. Cooper Neville is third in the league with 22 walks.
HOME RUN THREATS: Five Patriots are among the top 15 home run leaders in CUSA: Jake Bennett (11, 1st), Ryan Martin (8, 4th), Chayton Krauss (7, 9th), Ben Tryon (7, 9th), and Cooper Neville (5, 13th). DBU is the only team in the conference with more than 2 players in the top 10 in home runs and more than 3 in the top 15.
EXTRA-BASE MACHINES: Four Patriots are currently among the top 20 in CUSA in slugging percentage: Jake Bennett (.819, 1st), Cooper Neville (.645, 6th), Ben Tryon (.615, 14th), and Ryan Martin (.606, 16th). DBU and Missouri State are the only two teams in the league with 3 players in the top 15 in slugging percentage.
ABOVE 1.000 OPS: Jake Bennett (1.339, 1st in CUSA), Cooper Neville (1.165, 3rd), Ben Tryon (1.057, 11th), and Ryan Martin (1.040, 14th) each own OPS marks above 1.000. They are the only four players from the same team within the top 15 of CUSA's leaders in OPS.
CONSISTENT THREATS: Going back to last season, Jake Bennett extended his career-best reached-base streak to 33 games on Tuesday. Cooper Neville has reached base in 24 consecutive games with a plate appearance and rides a 9-game hitting streak, and Ryan Martin had his 11-game on-base streak snapped on Tuesday.
THE 200/40 CLUB: With 191 career hits and 38 career home runs, Chayton Krauss is 9 hits and 2 homers away from becoming only the fourth Patriot in history to record 200 hits and 40 home runs. He is already tied for eighth all-time in career home runs.
STEADY ARMS: Liam Watt has become one of the steadiest arms in CUSA, leading the league in appearances (13) with a 1.84 ERA (6th in CUSA) and a 5.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio (5th). Avery Duncan has also become a reliable arm, with no runs allowed in his last 8.1 innings.
ELITE FIELDING: The Patriots' defense is 28th in the nation in fielding percentage with a .981 clip. Everyday infielder Chayton Krauss has yet to commit an error in 171 chances this season and has not committed an error in 498 chances since his last mishap on March 14, 2025.
 
SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE
FOUR STRAIGHT WINS: Missouri State rides a four-game winning streak into Dallas after sweeping Middle Tennessee in a CUSA weekend series and run-ruling Oklahoma State on Tuesday.
POWER BATS: The Bears boast one of the country's best offenses, with a .308 batting average (17th in the nation), a .574 slugging percentage (7th in the nation), and 50 home runs (6th in the nation).
FOUR ABOVE .300: Logan Fyfee leads MSU with a .403 batting average (2nd in CUSA). Bryce Cermenelli (.338), Cury Sutherland (.318), and Gabe Roessler (.303) each join him in hitting above .300.
HOME RUN POWER: Carter Bergman (10 home runs), Curry Sutherland (8), and Taeg Gollert (7) are the primary power bats for MSU.
FELDER MAKING FIRST START: With a team ERA of 5.28, redshirt freshman Ross Felder is scheduled to make the first start of his career on Friday. He owns a 2.29 ERA in 19.2 innings.
 
SERIES HISTORY
DBU is 21-17 all-time versus Missouri State in a series that dates back to 2007. The Patriots and the Bears last faced off in 2022 as members of the Missouri Valley Conference. DBU swept the series and has won the last four meetings with MSU.
 
ON DECK
The Patriots finish their five-game homestand when they host Oklahoma State for the second of two meetings between the two teams this season. First pitch is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, at 6:35 p.m. at Horner Ballpark.