SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Missouri State got a two-run homer from Cam Cratic in the first inning but it was nearly all Cal Poly after that, with the home team breaking the game open with a nine-run fifth to hand the Bears a 15-5 setback in the season opener for both schools at Baggett Stadium.

MSU's Nick Rodriguez singled on the first pitch of the game and Cratic deposited the first pitch he saw over the wall in right center two batters later to make it 2-0 Bears with his sixth homer in the last 10 games dating to last season.

Cal Poly got on the board with a single, steal and RBI single in the third, and stranded MSU runners on the corners in both the fourth and fifth frames before putting up a nine-spot in the bottom of the fifth.

The Mustangs took their first lead with a two-run double, followed that with a two-run homer, then added a pair of two-run singles and a bases-loaded hit by pitch to lead 10-2 by the time the inning was over.

Cal Poly added four runs in the sixth and another in the seventh, and Rodriguez earned his first MSU RBI with a single in the seventh.

Freshman Taeg Gollert swatted his second double of the game to drive in a run in the ninth as part of a 3-for-4 debut, and Mason Greer added another RBI double to collect a hit from each side of the plate for the third time in his career.

Jake Eddington allowed a run in three innings in the start and was followed by five Bear relievers. Freshman Garrett Ferguson went an inning without allowing a run and Corbin Bassham gave up one tally in the final two innings.

The Bears and Mustangs play game two of the series at 6 p.m. (Central) on Saturday.