DALLAS (Interstat) — Luke Pettitte’s solo home run in the fifth inning erased a three-run deficit and Chayton Krauss delivered a go-ahead double in the sixth to lift the Dallas Baptist Patriots to a 5-4 victory over the Missouri State Bears in a Conference USA opener on Friday night at Ellis Davis Field House.

The Patriots, who entered the game with a 69% win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, overcame an early four-run hole by battering Missouri State starter Ross Felder in a lengthy first inning. The Bears had taken a unique 4-0 lead before recording an out, as the game began with three unorthodox plays that resulted in four runs. Official statistics credited Missouri State batters with no at-bats in the top of the first inning, with Bryce Cermenelli flying out, Taeg Gollert grounding out and Curry Sutherland flying out, yet four runs crossing the plate. Dallas Baptist starter Liam Watt was charged with all four earned runs in the frame.

Dallas Baptist answered immediately in the bottom half, sending nine men to the plate against Felder. Ben Tryon led off with a single, and after a fielder’s choice, Chayton Krauss doubled. Cooper Neville followed with an RBI single and Ryan Martin added a sacrifice fly. Jude Hall capped the rally with a two-out, run-scoring single to right, making it 4-3.

Watt settled in powerfully after the bizarre first, holding the Bears to just one single over the next four innings. His stability allowed the Patriots to complete the comeback. Pettitte led off the bottom of the fifth by driving a solo homer to left field, tying the game at 4-4.

The decisive sequence came in the bottom of the sixth. With relievers Sam Maclaughlin and Trenton Ash entering for Missouri State, the Patriots loaded the bases on a walk and a hit-by-pitch. With two outs, Krauss laced his second double of the game, a line drive to center field that scored Brooks Sartain to give Dallas Baptist its first lead at 5-4.

Missouri State threatened in the eighth, putting runners at second and third with no outs against Watt. The Patriots turned to their bullpen, and Armani Knipper, Michael Benzor and Athan Kroll combined to limit the damage to two runs on a pair of productive groundouts, preserving the one-run lead. Kroll then worked a perfect ninth inning, striking out one, to secure the save.

Watt earned the win, going seven-plus innings and allowing four earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts. Felder took the loss for Missouri State, surrendering four earned runs on eight hits in four innings of work. Krauss led the Dallas Baptist offense, going 3 for 5 with the game-winning RBI. Gabe Roessler provided a bright spot for Missouri State, going 2 for 3 with a solo home run in the sixth.

The most important part of the game was Dallas Baptist’s immediate and sustained response to Missouri State’s unconventional four-run first inning. Rather than folding, the Patriots mounted a meticulous three-run rally in their first at-bat, immediately seizing momentum and demonstrating the offensive firepower that would define the night. This resilience set the stage for Pettitte’s game-tying homer and Krauss’s eventual game-winning hit, showcasing a Patriots lineup that consistently pressured Bears pitching and ultimately overcame the early shock.

With the win, Dallas Baptist improved to 15-11 overall. Missouri State fell to 16-8. The two teams continue their three-game series on Saturday.