Friday, March 20
Springfield
6:30 p.m.
Missouri State University
13-7, 3-1
6
vs
4
Middle Tennessee
12-10, 2-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Missouri State | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | X | 6 | 11 | 0 |
Baseball Bears Rally Late for 6-4 Win Over MTSU
March 20, 2026 | Baseball
SPRINGFIELD – Brant Kragel hit a go-ahead, pinch-hit two-run double in the eighth inning Friday night to help Missouri State rally for a 6-4 Conference USA victory over Middle Tennessee at Hammons Field.
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Following his third pinch-hit double of the month, Kragel scored on a Bryce Cermenelli single to complete a three-run eighth, and Taeg Gollert's solo home run an inning prior began the Bears' comeback from a 4-2 deficit.
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The Blue Raiders (12-10, 2-2) grabbed a 3-0 lead in the second after starting the frame with two singles and a double, and Cermenelli countered with a two-run double in the bottom half to make it 3-2.
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Ross Felder entered the game for Mo State (13-7, 3-1) on the mound in the third and fired a career-high 5.1 innings, allowed just a solo home run in the fifth to keep the Bears within striking distance.
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After Felder exited with one out in the eighth, Max Knight (2-0) came in and retired all five MTSU batters he faced with three strikeouts, completing Missouri State's first game without issuing a walk since April 11, 2024.
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In addition to his home run, Gollert added a double in the first inning and now has 99 career extra-base hits, good for seventh in school history. Cermenelli's three RBIs were a season high as the Bears improved to 8-0 at home in 2026.
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The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets to all home games are available here.
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Following his third pinch-hit double of the month, Kragel scored on a Bryce Cermenelli single to complete a three-run eighth, and Taeg Gollert's solo home run an inning prior began the Bears' comeback from a 4-2 deficit.
Â
The Blue Raiders (12-10, 2-2) grabbed a 3-0 lead in the second after starting the frame with two singles and a double, and Cermenelli countered with a two-run double in the bottom half to make it 3-2.
Â
Ross Felder entered the game for Mo State (13-7, 3-1) on the mound in the third and fired a career-high 5.1 innings, allowed just a solo home run in the fifth to keep the Bears within striking distance.
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After Felder exited with one out in the eighth, Max Knight (2-0) came in and retired all five MTSU batters he faced with three strikeouts, completing Missouri State's first game without issuing a walk since April 11, 2024.
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In addition to his home run, Gollert added a double in the first inning and now has 99 career extra-base hits, good for seventh in school history. Cermenelli's three RBIs were a season high as the Bears improved to 8-0 at home in 2026.
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The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets to all home games are available here.
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#WeAreMoState
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF/1B
/ Baseball
LHP/1B/OF
/ Baseball
UT
/ BaseballTeam Stats
Pitching:
W: Knight, Max (2-0)
L: Colin Kerrigan (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Nathan Brewer 1
HR: Tyler Minnick 1
RBI: Owen Nowak 1 ; Tyler Minnick 1 ; Nathan Brewer 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Tyler Minnick 1 ; Brett Rogers 1 ; Brett Vondohlen 1 ; Nathan Brewer 1
Batting:
2B: Cermenelli, Bryce 1 ; Gollert, Taeg 1 ; Bogenpohl, Caden 1 ; Kragel, Brant 1
HR: Gollert, Taeg 1
RBI: Cermenelli, Bryce 3 ; Gollert, Taeg 1 ; Kragel, Brant 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Gollert, Taeg 1 ; Knight, Max 1 ; Roessler, Gabe 2 ; Beaman, Jackson 1 ; Kragel, Brant 1
HBP: Roessler, Gabe 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
1b/rf
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Monday, June 22
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Wednesday, June 17
Wednesday, June 17
