SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State opened Missouri Valley Conference play Friday evening against Bradley by scoring a season-high in runs in a 16-6, seven-inning victory at Hammons Field.
 
Six Bears recorded multiple hits, seven drove in a run and all nine starters scored at least once as the offense piled up 14 total hits with seven going for extra bases.
 
After spotting Bradley (3-14, 0-1 MVC) a run in the first, Max Knight's fifth homer of the season tied it in the second before MoState (8-12, 1-0) erupted for eight runs in the third, its highest scoring inning of the season.
 
Three consecutive one-out singles loaded the bases, MSU's first run scored on a balk, Taeg Gollert hit a three-run double, Curry Sutherland added a three-run homer, and Carter Bergman capped it with an RBI double for his second hit of the frame, a first for a Bear since March 10, 2023.
 
Zack Stewart clubbed his 36^th career home run in the fifth inning, a two-run shot, and Nick Rodriguez added a three-run blast for a 14-1 lead.
 
The Braves rallied for five in the sixth inning, and Caden Bogenpohl answered with a two-run single in the bottom half to open the necessary 10-run margin again at 16-6, finishing with two hits on the night to extend his reached base streak to 33 games.
 
Michael Yusypchuk (1-1) went six innings for the winning decision, Brody McNiel finished it with a 1-2-3 ninth.
 
The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday.