THE RUNDOWN
DBU (31-24, 19-11 CUSA) fell 13-4 to Jacksonville State (42-13, 23-7 CUSA) in the final game of the regular season on Saturday at Horner Ballpark. The Patriots were unable to recover from a six-run first inning despite home runs from
Luke Pettitte and
Adam Berghult in the nine-run loss to the Gamecocks.
Jacksonvilel State seized momentum immediately, capitalizing on three hit batters and three walks in a six-run opening frame. The Gamecocks continued to apply pressure offensively and stretched its advantage to 8-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth.
The Patriots responded when Pettitte launched a towering solo home run over the center-field wall — his second long ball of the series to put DBU on the board.
Both offenses traded blows in the fifth inning. Jacksonville State's Brady Thomas delivered a two-run homer to extend the lead, but Berghult answered with a three-run blast over the wall in left field, trimming the deficit to 11-4.
Jacksonville State added insurance in the sixth after a throwing error allowed Trey King to score, and King later connected on a solo home run in the eighth to cap the scoring at 13-4.
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THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- DBU finishes fourth in the Conference USA regular-season standings and will enter next week's CUSA Tournament as the No. 4 seed.
- The Patriots wrapped up the 2026 home schedule with a 19-12 record at Horner Ballpark.
- Despite the loss, the Patriots have won four consecutive series over the Gamecocks.
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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
15 -
Luke Pettitte's home run was his 15th of the year.
111 - DBU's 111 team home runs rank as the third-most in program history and leave the Patriots just five shy of surpassing the 2024 squad for second all-time.
232 –
Chayton Krauss now owns 232 career hits and sits just four away from tying Camden Duzenack (2014-17) for the seventh-most hits in program history.
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UP NEXT
DBU travels to Kennesaw, Georgia, for the Conference USA Tournament beginning on Wednesday.
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