COLUMBIA, Mo. (Interstat) — A pitchers’ duel for five innings gave way to a decisive offensive burst Wednesday as the Missouri Tigers defeated the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions 5-1 at Taylor Stadium.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, was a stark contrast to the teams’ meeting a day prior, a 15-1 Missouri rout. This time, dominant starting pitching kept the contest scoreless until the sixth inning.

Missouri starter Luke Sullivan was the primary architect of the stalemate, delivering a commanding performance. The right-hander pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit and no earned runs while striking out five. He faced the minimum through five, with the only baserunner, Jose Vasquez, being erased on a caught stealing.

He was matched nearly pitch-for-pitch by Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Jordan Medellin, who was perfect through 5 1/3 innings before exiting after a walk. Medellin did not allow a hit and surrendered one unearned run with two strikeouts.

The Golden Lions (4-6) scratched across the game’s first run without a hit in the top of the sixth against reliever Jackson Sobel. Vasquez walked, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch.

That 1-0 lead was short-lived. The most important part of the game came in the bottom half of the inning, when Missouri’s offense erupted. After a single by Isaiah Frost and a pitching change, Tyler Macon singled to put runners at the corners. A stolen base and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with two outs for designated hitter Mateo Serna.

Serna crushed the first pitch he saw from reliever Jalen Porter for a grand slam over the left field wall, his second home run of the season. The four-run blast instantly transformed a one-run deficit into a 4-1 Missouri advantage.

The Tigers (7-2) added an insurance run in the eighth. Frost and Macon singled, and a walk loaded the bases again for Serna, who grounded out to the pitcher to drive in Frost.

Missouri’s bullpen preserved the lead after Sullivan’s departure. Ian Lohse was particularly effective, striking out three of the four batters he faced over 1 1/3 perfect innings to close the door. Trey Lawrence and Sam Rosand also contributed scoreless relief.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff managed only four hits total, with Vasquez reaching base three times via a single and two walks, and scoring their lone run. Dane Small had the team’s only other hit.

Missouri finished with five hits, two from Macon and two from Frost, who scored twice. Serna’s five RBIs accounted for all of Missouri’s scoring.

The Tigers’ victory extended their winning streak to four games as they prepare to host North Dakota State for a three-game series starting Friday. Arkansas-Pine Bluff continues its road swing with a three-game series at Arkansas State beginning Friday.

According to pregame projections, Interstat’s game simulator had forecast a 7-3 Missouri win, while its ELO system gave the Tigers a 90.3% probability of victory.