SPRINGFIELD – Brant Kragel launched the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth inning over the center field wall to give Missouri State its second consecutive walk-off home run victory, this time 9-8 over visiting Sam Houston Friday evening at Hammons Field.
 
The Bears (19-9, 7-3 Conference USA) tied the program's best ever start to a home season (equaling the 2001 and 1969 teams) with their 13^th straight win at Hammons, swatting four home runs to raise their total to 38 in 13 home games this season.
 
Kragel had two of those bombs and three RBIs, Taeg Gollert hit a two-run shot, and Max Knight (5-0) added a two-run dinger and was the winning pitcher, marking the 10^th time in his Mo State career to both pitch and homer in a game.
 
Ross Felder struck out a career-high nine batters over six innings in the start, leaving with a 6-2 lead as the Bears were able to touch Sam Houston (14-15, 4-6) ace Ryan Peterson for five runs in 5.2 innings. Peterson entered the game with a 1.43 ERA and .166 opponent average.
 
Kragel hit his first homer in the second inning and walked with the bases loaded in the fifth, Gollert's home run came in the sixth, and twice (first and sixth innings) Curry Sutherland followed a Caden Bogenpohl double with an RBI single, the latter making it 6-2 in the sixth.
 
The Bearkats got one run back in the seventh before Knight's homer made it 8-3, then collected a two-out, two-run single in the eighth before opening the ninth with a triple and homer for 8-7. SHSU followed that with two choppers around a hit batter to push home the tying run.
 
Kragel stepped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth and hit the first pitch 409 feet for the win, making it two straight walk-off homers for the Bears after Caden Bogenpohl did the same in Tuesday's 10-inning victory against Arkansas.
 
The Bears struck out 16 Sam Houston batters, and Bryce Cermenelli extended his hitting streak to 16 games.
 
The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets to all home games are available here.