DBU (23-17, 12-6 CUSA) vs. TCU (24-15, 10-8 BIG 12)
April 21 | Fort Worth, TX | Lupton Stadium

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 Lupton Stadium with an audio broadcast on the Patriot Broadcasting Network.

PROBABLE STARTERS
DBU: RHP Tate Hess (1-0 W-L, 6.17 ERA, 11.2 IP, 7 SO, 4 BB)
vs.
TCU: LHP Nolan Johnson (0-2 W-L, 7.80 ERA, 15.0 IP, 12 SO, 10 BB)
 
LEADING OFF
TOP-25 WIN: DBU took a win from then-No. 25 Liberty on Saturday but dropped the games on Friday and Sunday.
FOUR STRAIGHT WITH A HOMER: Becoming only the 4th player in program history to record 200 career hits and 40 career home runs last Tuesday, Chayton Krauss added a home run in each of game against Liberty to make it four straight games with a home run.
HESS' SECOND START: Tate Hess is slated to make his second start of the season. In his first start, he went 2.2 shutout innings against UT Arlington on February 24.
 
TOP STORYLINES
DALLAS VS. FORT WORTH: DBU makes the short drive to Fort Worth on Tuesday to finish a home-and-home midweek series against TCU. TCU won the first meeting this season, 11-5, in Dallas.
SLUGGING OFFENSE: Averaging 8.2 runs per game, the Patriots boast one of the most powerful offenses in the country, belting 77 home runs (8th in the nation) and slugging .525 (19th).
RECORD-PACE HOME RUN RATE: DBU's average of 1.93 home runs per game currently ranks as the best pace in program history. The program record of 1.92 home runs per contest was set in 2024.
HOME RUN THREATS: Seven Patriots had hit at least 7 home runs, good for a slot among the top 20 leaders in CUSA: Chayton Krauss (12, 1st), Ryan Martin (12, 1st), Jake Bennett (11, 4th), Luke Pettitte (8, 13th), Adam Berghult (7, 18th), Dylan Schlaegel (7, 18th), and Ben Tryon (7, 18th). DBU is the only team in the conference with 5 players in the top 20 in home runs.
EXTRA-BASE MACHINES: Three Patriots are currently among the top 20 in CUSA in slugging percentage: Dylan Schlaegel (.600, 7th), Ryan Martin (.577, 11th), Chayton Krauss (.560, 16th), and Cooper Neville (.551, 20th).
POWER FROM PETTITTE: Luke Pettitte has been a sparkplug for the Patriots since settling in as the everyday designated hitter. Since his first start at DH on March 14, he tops DBU in home runs (9), RBI (28), total bases (65), and slugging percentage (.747), and OPS (1.171). The junior also leads CUSA in conference games in home runs (8), total bases (54), and slugging percentage (.818), and OPS (1.265).
PATIENCE AT THE PLATE: In addition to its power, DBU has displayed premier patience at the plate, drawing 203 walks, the second-most in CUSA.
CHAYTON CHASING HISTORY: Already just the fourth Patriot ever with 200 career this and 40 home runs, Chayton Krauss continues to climb the charts in DBU's record book. His 43 home runs are 5th all-time, and his 181 RBI are 4th. He needs 10 more homers to move into a share of 2nd place behind Grant Jay (61) and 9 RBI for sole possession of 2nd place behind Jason Krizan (231).
KROLL CLOSES THE DOOR: Athan Kroll has emerged as the closer for the Patriots with 8 saves, the 12th-most in the country. Over his last 8 appearances, he has recorded 7 straight saves and has allowed only 1 run in 10.2 innings for a 0.84 ERA in those outings, along with 14 strikeouts and 6 walks.
RELIEF FROM THE BULLPEN: Michael Benzor and Max Luzarraga have developed into two of the most reliable arms out of the DBU bullpen. Benzor leads the relievers with a 2.70 ERA. Luzarraga is 2nd in the group with a 3.46 ERA and has not allowed an earned run in his last 6 appearances.
PHENOMENAL FIELDING: The Patriots' defense is 21st in the nation in fielding percentage with a .980 clip. At its current rate, DBU has the second-best fielding percentage in school history behind the record of .982 set in 2024.
CONSISTENT KRAUSS: Everyday infielder Chayton Krauss' streak of 235 consecutive chances without an error ended in the top of the ninth on Sunday against Liberty. It was his first error of the season and his first miscue since March 14, 2025. He owns a .996 fielding percentage for both the season and his career.
 
SCOUTING TCU
BIG 12 SERIES WIN: The Horned Frogs won two of three games against Baylor in a Big 12 series last weekend. They are currently in fifth in the Big 12 with a 10-8 league record.
CRAMER UP TOP, POWER BEHIND: Hitting .269 as a club, Cole Cramer leads TCU with a .316 batting average. Sawyer Strosnider and Chase Brunson are the primary power bats with 10 home runs and 8 homers, respectively.
HORNED FROG PITCHING: The Horned Frogs' pitching staff holds a 5.70 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP with a 1.90 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
TURNING TWO: TCU has turned 38 double plays this season, good for 8th in the country.
SAARLOOS AT THE HELM: Since taking over the program before the 2022 season, Head Coach Kirk Saarloos is 6-3 against DBU.
 
SERIES HISTORY
DBU is 32-57 all-time versus TCU in a series that dates back to 1971. In their Division I era, the Patriots are 19-25 against the Horned Frogs. TCU has won six of the last seven meetings with DBU, including an 11-5 contest in Dallas on March 24.
 
ON DECK
The Patriots make the trip to Miami, Florida, this weekend for a CUSA series with FIU. Game one is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. CT at FIU Baseball Stadium.