DBU (18-15, 8-4 CUSA) vs. SAM HOUSTON (14-18, 4-8 CUSA)
April 10-12 | Huntsville, TX | Don Sanders 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 Don Sanders Stadium with an audio broadcast on the Patriot Broadcasting Network.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday
DBU: LHP Liam Watt (4-1 W-L, 3.21 ERA, 42.0 IP, 33 SO, 7 BB)
vs.
SHSU: RHP Ryan Peterson (3-3 W-L, 1.99 ERA, 49.2 IP, 64 SO, 16 BB)
 
Saturday
DBU: RHP Jared Schaeffer (3-0 W-L, 5.11 ERA, 37.0 IP, 29 SO, 14 BB)
vs.
SHSU: TBA
 
Sunday
DBU: TBA
vs.
SHSU: TBA
 
LEADING OFF
LOSS TO OKLAHOMA: DBU fell to No. 13 Oklahoma at home on Tuesday, dropping both games to the Sooners in the same season for the first time since 2010.
GRADY IN THE LINEUP: In back-to-back starts at second base, Keaton Grady has gone four-for-eight with a pair of two-hit days, including a double against Oklahoma.
NEVILLE HOME RUN: On Tuesday, Cooper Neville hit his first home run since March 15 versus New Mexico State, becoming the sixth Patriot to blast six home runs this season.
 
TOP STORYLINES
CONFERENCE RACE: Twelve games into conference play, DBU sits in fourth place in the Conference USA standings with an 8-4 league record, one game behind Liberty (23-9, 9-3) and Missouri State (21-10, 9-3) in second place and four games behind Jacksonville State (28-6, 12-0).
SLUGGING OFFENSE: Scoring 8.4 runs per game, the Patriots boast one of the most powerful offenses in the country, belting 63 home runs (11th in the nation) and slugging .522 (21st).
PATIENCE AT THE PLATE: In addition to its power, DBU has displayed premier patience at the plate, drawing 181 walks to lead CUSA.
HOME RUN THREATS: Five Patriots are among the top 15 home run leaders in CUSA: Jake Bennett (11, 1st), Ryan Martin (10, 3rd), Luke Pettitte (8, 8th), Chayton Krauss (7, 12th), and Ben Tryon (7, 12th). DBU and Missouri State are the only teams in the conference with 4 players in the top 15 in home runs.
HOME RUN RATE: DBU's average of 1.91 home runs per game currently ranks as the second-best pace in program history. The 2024 squad set the record at 1.92 home runs per contest.
EXTRA-BASE MACHINES: Three Patriots are currently among the top 20 in CUSA in slugging percentage: Jake Bennett (.819, 1st), Ryan Martin (.598, 9th), and Cooper Neville (.560, 19th). Ben Tryon is narrowly outside the top 25 with a .535 slugging percentage that ranks 26th in the league.
ABOVE 1.000 OPS: Jake Bennett (1.339, 1st in CUSA), Ryan Martin (1.028, 11th), and Cooper Neville (1.012, 12th) each own OPS marks above 1.000. Though they do not statistically qualify for conference ranking, Luke Pettitte (1.253) and Dylan Schlaegel (1.035) are also above the millennium mark.
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 (8), RBI (24), total bases (49), and slugging percentage (.925). The junior also leads CUSA in conference games in home runs (7), RBI (18), total bases (41), and slugging percentage (1.000).
CONSISTENT THREATS: Ben Tryon is currently on an 11-game on-base streak after reaching base in 16 consecutive games to start the season. He has reached base in 31 of 33 games. In a similar company, Cooper Neville has reached base in 31 of his 32 starts this season.
THE 200/40 CLUB: With 200 career hits and 38 career home runs, Chayton Krauss is 2 homers away from becoming only the fourth Patriot in history to record 200 hits and 40 home runs. He is the 17th player in program history to reach 200 hits and the 7th to eclipse the mark in 3 seasons. Already tied for eighth all-time in career home runs, he would be the only player in school history to do so in three seasons.
ELITE FIELDING: The Patriots' defense is 13th in the nation in fielding percentage with a .983 clip. Everyday infielder Chayton Krauss has yet to commit an error in 194 chances this season and has not committed an error in 521 chances since his last miscue on March 14, 2025.
 
SCOUTING SAM HOUSTON
LOSING SKID: Sam Houston lost a 5-4 contest against Houston on Tuesday to extend the Bearkats' losing streak to a season-high six games.
SPOT IN CUSA: Taking CUSA series versus FIU and WKU, the Bearkats' series wins are currently bookended by sweeps at the hands of Jacksonville State and Missouri State, giving SHSU a share of ninth place in the conference.
CURTIS PROVIDES THE SPARK: Junior transfer Jeric Curtis ignites the SHSU offense, topping the squad in batting average (.340), on-base percentage (.452), slugging percentage (.447), OPS (.899), hits (35), doubles (7), and triples (2).
POUNCING BEARKATS: The Bearkats are second in CUSA in total stolen bases (71) and first in stolen bases per game (2.22). Four players from SHSU have stolen at least 10 bags, including Jeric Curtis (15), Hunter Alvord (12), Jace Martinez (11), and Caleb Cotton (10). Curtis' 15 stolen bases are 4th in CUSA, and Alvord's 12 are 7th in the conference.
STRIKES FROM PETERSON: Friday starter Ryan Peterson has established himself as one of the best strike-throwers in the country. With a 1.99 ERA (5th in CUSA), he has thrown 64 strikeouts (16th in the nation) while walking only 16 batters. His 4.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio is good for 6th in CUSA.
 
SERIES HISTORY
DBU is 26-28 all-time versus Sam Houston in a series that dates back to 1970. The Patriots are 21-13 against the Bearkats in DBU's Division I era, with the Patriots winning 10 of the last 11 meetings with SHSU, including a series sweep last season.
 
ON DECK
The Patriots are back in Dallas for a four-game home stretch, beginning with a duel with UT Arlington. First pitch between DBU and UTA is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, at 6:35 p.m. at Horner Ballpark.