Conference USA Rivals Set for Showdown in Dallas

DALLAS (Interstat) — A pivotal early-season Conference USA series opens Friday when the Missouri State Bears visit the Dallas Baptist Patriots at Ellis Davis Field House.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT under clear skies with a game-time temperature of 82 degrees.

The Bears (16-7) enter with momentum, having won seven of their last eight games. They are coming off a dominant 16-2 midweek victory over Oklahoma State on Tuesday, powered by a two-home run, six-RBI performance from designated hitter Carter Bergman.

Bergman, a key player to watch for Missouri State, has been on a power surge, homering in four of his last eight games and driving in 11 runs over that stretch despite some recent hitless outings.

The Patriots (14-11) look to rebound after a 11-5 loss to TCU on Tuesday. Their bullpen will be a focus, particularly reliever Aiden VanDeHatert. The right-hander has been effective in short stings, most recently tossing 2 2/3 hitless innings with three strikeouts against TCU.

Missouri State’s offense has been potent, scoring 10 or more runs in six of its last 10 contests. Shortstop Logan Fyffe, who had five RBIs in the win over Oklahoma State, provides additional lineup depth behind Bergman.

Dallas Baptist has shown resilience, winning two of three on the road at Delaware last weekend before the midweek setback. Their lineup is anchored by first baseman Ben Tryon, who homered in the loss to TCU.

Projections for the series opener are split. Interstat’s game simulator predicts an 8-6 victory for Missouri State, while the same service’s ELO rating system gives Dallas Baptist a 69.2% probability to win.

The game marks the start of a three-game weekend set between the conference foes. The series continues Saturday and Sunday in Dallas.