DBU (26-19, 14-7 CUSA) vs. LOUISIANA TECH (27-19, 14-7 CUSA)
May 1-3 | 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. Every DBU home game is streamed live on ESPN+, with an additional audio broadcast for all Patriot games on the Patriot Broadcasting Network.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday
DBU: LHP Liam Watt (5-2 W-L, 4.79 ERA, 56.1 IP, 41 SO, 11 BB)
vs.
LA Tech: RHP Declan Dahl (7-3 W-L, 3.45 ERA, 62.2 IP, 77 SO, 15 BB)
 
Saturday
DBU: RHP Ryan Borberg (0-1 W-L, 6.80 ERA, 41.0 IP, 29 SO, 19 BB )
vs.
LA Tech: LHP Hudson Rowan (4-3 W-L, 3.91 ERA, 53.0 IP, 43 SO, 34 BB)
 
Sunday
DBU: TBA
vs.
LA Tech: TBA
 
LEADING OFF
RUN-RULE SWEEP: DBU ran away with a 16-4 run-rule win against Abilene Christian on Tuesday, sweeping the season series with the Wildcats.
RUNS IN BUNCHES: In Tuesday's win, the Patriots had three innings where they scored at least four runs, highlighted by back-to-back home runs by Luke Pettitte and Mac Rose in the eighth inning and Pettitte's five-hit night.
THIEVES ON THE BASEPATHS: Keaton Grady and Dylan Schlaegel both stole three bases on Tuesday, the first time two Patriots recorded three stolen bases in the same game since March 7, 2023, when Jace Grady and Nathan Humphreys both swiped three bags against Baylor.
 
TOP STORYLINES
CUSA RACE: DBU is tied for third place in the Conference USA standings with a 14-7 record in league play. The Patriots are tied with Louisiana Tech and Missouri State, four games back of the leader, Jacksonville State.
SLUGGING OFFENSE: Averaging 8.5 runs per game (25th in the nation), the Patriots boast one of the most powerful offenses in the country, belting 91 home runs (5th) and slugging .539 (13th).
HOME RUN BARRAGE: DBU's 91 home runs are currently the 7th-most by a team in program history. If the Patriots reach 100 home runs, they would be the 4th straight team to do so and the 6th all-time.
RECORD-PACE HOME RUN RATE: DBU's average of 2.02 home runs per game currently ranks as the best pace in school history. The program record of 1.92 home runs per contest was set in 2024.
HOME RUN THREATS: Jake Bennett is 1st in CUSA for the most home runs with 15. He is joined in the league's top 10 by Chayton Krauss (13, 3rd), Ryan Martin (12, 6th), and Luke Pettitte (12, 6th). DBU is the only team in CUSA with 4 players with 10 or more home runs.
EXTRA-BASE MACHINES: Four Patriots are currently among the top 25 in CUSA in slugging percentage: Dylan Schlaegel (.620, 3rd), Cooper Neville (.564, 17th), Chayton Krauss (.556, 19th), and Ryan Martin (.545, 22nd).
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 (12), RBI (37), total bases (82), slugging percentage (.732), and OPS (1.140). The junior also leads CUSA in conference games in home runs (10), total bases (62), and slugging percentage (.775).
HITTING STREAKS: Chayton Krauss is on a 14-game hitting streak, 6 away from his career-high 20-game streak in 2023. Cooper Neville's 12-game hitting streak was snapped on Tuesday in a 0-2 day with 3 walks.
GETTING ON BASE: Jake Bennett has reached base in 39 straight games, dating back to last season. If he reaches base on Friday, he will be the first Patriot to get on base in 40 consecutive games since Grant Jay made it on base in 55 straight between the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Also, Chayton Krauss owns a 21-game on-base streak, and Cooper Neville has reached base in 13 straight.
CHAYTON CHASING HISTORY: Already just the 4th Patriot ever with 200 career hits and 40 home runs, Chayton Krauss continues to climb the charts in DBU's record book. His 44 home runs are 5th all-time, and his 187 RBI are 3rd. He needs 1 more homer to tie Trevor Head (45) for 4th all-time and 2 RBI to tie Duncan McAlpine (189) for 2nd. If he reaches 200 RBI, he would join Jason Krizan as the only players in DBU history with 200 hits, 200 RBI, and 40 home runs.
RELIEF FROM THE BULLPEN: Michael Benzor and Max Luzarraga have developed into two of the most reliable arms out of the DBU bullpen. Luzarraga leads all Patriot relievers with a 2.93 ERA and has not allowed an earned run in his last 7 appearances (9.1 innings). Benzor is second among the bullpen arms with a 3.45 ERA and has surrendered a run in only 5 of his 15 outings.
PHENOMENAL FIELDING: The Patriots' defense is 20th in the nation in fielding percentage with a .980 clip. At its current rate, DBU has the 2nd-best fielding percentage in school history behind the record of .982 set in 2024.
 
SCOUTING LOUISIANA TECH
LOSS IN THE MIDWEEK: After sweeping Missouri State over the weekend, LA Tech dropped a midweek game to Louisiana Monroe on Tuesday, 16-5.
SEARCHING FOR A STRIDE: The Bulldogs are 4-3 in their last 7 games. Before this stretch, they were on an eight-game winning streak.
STRONG STAFF: LA Tech's pitching staff is currently 3rd in CUSA with a 4.80 ERA, 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings, and 4.09 walks allowed per nine innings.
STELLAR STARTERS: Friday and Saturday starters Declan Dahl and Hudson Rowan are both top-10 in CUSA in ERA, with a 3.45 ERA and a 3.91 ERA, respectively. Dahl is 3rd in the league in both strikeouts (77) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.06), and Rowan is 2nd in the conference with 6.28 hits allowed per nine innings.
Three Bulldogs are hitting above .300: Trey Hawsey (.337), Colby Lunsford (.319), and PREMIER POWER: Colton Coates (.308). Hawsey is one of CUSA's premier power bats, with 13 home runs (3rd in CUSA), 112 total bases (1st), and a .609 slugging percentage (4th). Lunsford is not far behind with 10 home runs (9th), 107 total bases (2nd), and a .588 slugging percentage (7th).
 
SERIES HISTORY
DBU is 19-18 all-time versus Louisiana Tech in a series that dates back to 1982. In their Division I era, the Patriots are 16-11 against the Bulldogs. DBU won last season's series with LA Tech, taking two of three in Ruston, Louisiana.
 
ON DECK
The Patriots wrap up their road schedule for the season with a four-game road trip. DBU duels with Texas Tech in the Patriots' last midweek contest of the season on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Lubbock.