Season Statistics

DALLAS – Missouri State spotted 24th-ranked Dallas Baptist a 4-0 lead Friday before getting the tying run to third base in the ninth inning in a 4-3 loss to the Patriots in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both schools at Horner Ballpark

DBU (19-10) scored two runs on four hits in the third inning and added two more on a sacrifice fly and two-out error in the fourth to lead 4-0.

Missouri State pitching yielded just two walks to the Patriots after that, allowing the offense a chance to come back, the first blow coming on Dakota Kotowski's two-out, two-run single in the fifth.

Adam Link (3-3) retired DBU in order in the fifth and Riyan Rodriguez struck out six in three hitless innings of the relief to get MSU to the ninth inning trailing 4-2.

Walker Jenkins hit his first home run of the season off the scoreboard in right field with one out for a 4-3 score, Spencer Nivens followed with a double and moved to third on a ground out before Drake Baldwin's hard-hit liner was tracked down by DBU's left fielder for the final out.

Nivens had two hits on the night to extend his streak of reaching safely to 20 games, while Jenkins went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday.