TULSA, Okla. – Missouri State opened Wednesday's game at Oral Roberts with back-to-back home runs from Nick Rodriguez and Spencer Nivens and clobbered eight extra-base hits in the first three innings to set the tone of an 8-5 win over the Golden Eagles at J.L. Johnson Stadium.

After going back-to-back eight times last season, Rodriguez and Nivens became the first MSU (2-2) duo to achieve the feat this year for a 2-0 lead, and the first pair to lead off a game with consecutive homers since Will Duff and Drake Baldwin did it at Kansas last season.

Taeg Gollert led off the second with his NCAA-leading sixth double of the year and Rodriguez followed with a three-run homer to make it 5-0.

After ORU (4-1) got on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, Gollert followed a Zack Stewart double with a two-run shot to make it 7-1 Bears.

Anthony Socci added a sacrifice fly in the fifth for 8-1 before the Golden Eagles came charging back, first with a triple and two doubles in the fifth for 8-3.

Forrest Barnes tossed a pair of scoreless relief innings for the Bears before ORU turned two walks into two runs in the eighth and threatened for more before Scott Youngbrandt induced a 5-4-3 double play on his second pitch to end the threat and hold an 8-5 lead.

Youngbrandt continued to rely on Izzy Lopez at third base in the ninth as junior continued his slick fielding at the hot corner for the first two outs of Youngbrandt's first save.

Tyler Tscherter (1-0) went three innings and allowed a run on two hits in the start to earn the victory.

With the win, head coach Keith Guttin tied long-time Southern Cal skipper for 15th on the all-time Division I wins list with 1,342.

The Bears open the home season Friday at 3 p.m. against Central Arkansas at Hammons Field. Tickets are priced at $3 for the matinee. Missouri State and UCA continue the series at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.