KENNESAW, Ga. Caden Bogenpohl hit a game-winning two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday at Mickey Dunn Stadium to give Missouri State a 9-8 victory over fourth-seeded Dallas Baptist and a pool win in the Conference USA Baseball Championship.Trailing 8-3 in the eighth, the third-seeded Bears (34-18) scored four in the bottom of the inning with Taeg Gollert’s school-record 117th career extra-base hit clearing the center field wall for his 16th homer of the year. Max Knight added a two-run pinch-hit homer (10th) the Bears’ second of the game and Bowen Tabola walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-7.
Freshman Adyn Schell (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth and Mo State loaded the bases on two hit batters and a walk to set up Bogenpohl’s ground ball through the right side for the win.
With both teams securing spots in the tournament semifinals before the game began, it was a quick start with three home runs in the first inning to set the pace for a tournament-record nine long balls in the game.
DBU hit one and Mo State answered with Bryce Cermenelli (3rd) and Logan Fyffe (9th) needing just four pitches to go back-to-back for a 2-1 advantage.
The Patriots (32-25) scored six unanswered until Bobby Atkinson hit a pinch-hit blast in the seventh (5th) before DBU countered with an RBI double in the eighth to lead 8-3.
Mo State’s five homers in the game moved the season total to 102, the sixth season of 100-plus homers in program history and fourth in the last five years.
Freshman Tommy Kramkowski went 3.1 innings in his first career start, Charlie Spoonhour threw a pair and Trent Ash struck out five in 2.2 innings of work.
The Bears take on second-seeded Liberty at 1:30 p.m. Central Saturday in the second semifinal of the day. The winner heads to Sunday’s noon Central championship game.
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