WICHITA, Kan. – In the 114^th all-time meeting between Missouri State and Wichita State but first since 2019, the Shockers scored four runs after the sixth inning Friday for a 7-5 victory in the series opener at Eck Stadium.
 
Wichita State (4-9) tallied just one extra-base hit on the day and used a collection of singles and free bases to complete its comeback.
 
After the Bears (5-7) took a 5-3 lead with a four-run fifth, WSU tied it in the seventh with three one-out singles with a wild pitch and error mixed in.
 
Then in the eighth, the Shockers took advantage of a hit batter with two singles and a sacrifice fly for the 7-5 final.
 
The home team used a pair of two-out walks and an RBI double to lead 1-0 after an inning, and MoState tied it in the third when Caden Bogenpohl walked and scored on Carter Bergman's two-out single.
 
Three singles and a walk for WSU made it 3-1 in the bottom of the third, and the Bears sent nine batters to the plate in their big fifth frame.
 
Tyler Epstein and Bogenpohl opened that inning with walks, Jake McCutcheon drove both home with a single and then scored from second base on Zack Stewart's infield single for the lead. Nick Rodriguez later scampered home on a wild pitch for a 5-3 lead.
 
Michael Yusypchuk went four innings and allowed three runs in the start, and Brody McNiel pitched perfect fifth and sixth frames. Garrett Ferguson (0-1) threw the final 1.1 innings and took the loss.
 
McCutcheon tied a career high with three hits, Stewart singled three times, and Bogenpohl extended his reached safely streak to 25 games with a single in addition to his two walks.
 
Game two of the series is set for 2 p.m. Saturday.