LAFAYETTE, La. – Michael Yusypchuk fired six shutout innings and Missouri State slugged five extra-base hits Friday afternoon on the way an 8-2 victory over Louisiana on Opening Day at M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park.
 
Yusypchuk (1-0) scattered just three singles across his six innings in the Bears' 12^th win in their last 15 season openers, leaving the game with a 2-0 lead thanks to Taeg Gollert's RBI double in the first inning and a mammoth 433-foot home run from Charlie Carter in the fifth.
 
After Caden Bogenpohl made a highlight-reel catch in right-center to save extra bases in the seventh, the junior clobbered a solo homer in the eight, with Bobby Atkinson adding another dinger two batters later for a 4-0 lead.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns (0-1) opened the bottom of the eighth with a walk and an error and brought both runners home to halve MoState's lead, and the Bears immediately responded by loading the bases with nobody out in the ninth.
 
Carter walked with the bases loaded for another RBI, Gabe Roessler was hit by a pitch to force in a run, and Gollert added a two-run double for the 8-2 lead, the 61^st of his career to close within six of Brayden Drake's career school record in that category.
 
Tyler Charlton yielded one earned run but no hits in 1.2 relief innings, and Brock Lucas recorded the final four outs for the save.
 
The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday.