Baseball Game Summary
 
Sat., Oct. 12, 2024
 

Exh.- Battle for Bell	R	H	E
PANTHERS	4	7	3
Missouri St.	23	17	0

 
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— After Drury and Missouri State traded leads in the first three innings, the Bears caught fire and hit seven home runs on their way to winning Saturday's Battle for Bell exhibition game 23-4 at Hammons Field in Springfield.
 
Drury got on the board in the top of the first on an RBI-single by Gabe Russell. Missouri State responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, but the Panthers went back in front in the third. Connor Bain tied the game at 3-3 as he drove in two runs with a double down the left-field line. Greydon Miller then put Drury in front with a sacrifice fly.
 
Missouri State proceeded to take over the game in the bottom of the third. The Bears tied the game when Caden Bogenpohl led off the frame with a solo home run and Drury pitching walked in two runs while the Bears added runs on a wild pitch and an error. Bogenpohl came back to the plate in the inning and belted a grand slam to left-center field to cap a nine-run inning.
 
Missouri State added five more runs in the fourth and four Bears hitters combined for seven homers. Bogenpohl ended the game going 3 for 4 with four runs scored, two home runs, and five runs batted in. Nick Rodriguez was 4 for 5 with two homers, four runs, and three RBIs.
 
Luke Matschiner, batting lead-off for Drury, went 1 for 3 with two runs, a walk and a stolen base. Six Drury pitchers combined to strike out 10 batters, but walked nine during the game. Gage Hayes, pitching two innings in relief, struck out four hitters.
 
The annual Battle for Bell game is played in honor of the late Howard Bell, former Missouri State baseball great who coached at Glendale High School in Springfield, and raises funds for the CoxHealth ALS Foundation. It marked the ninth time the two teams have met in the exhibition series.
 
Drury starts the 2025 season Jan. 31 against Chaminade in Honolulu, Hawaii.
 
 
#allweDUiswin