FORT MYERS, Fla. (Interstat) — In a season-opening upset defying preseason projections, the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers capitalized on a seventh-inning grand slam to defeat the Missouri Tigers 8-5 on Friday at Alico Arena.

Interstat’s ELO system had given Missouri a 79.9% probability to win, but the Mountaineers’ late offensive explosion secured the victory in the first game of a three-game series played at Florida Gulf Coast University.

The game remained a tight, one-run affair until the decisive top of the seventh. Mount St. Mary’s, leading 4-5, loaded the bases against Missouri relievers Jackson Sobel and PJ Green. With two outs, Mountaineers batter Bauman connected on a towering drive to deep right field for his first home run of the season, a grand slam that cleared the bases and extended the lead to 8-5.

The blast was the culmination of a back-and-forth contest that saw Missouri chip away at an early deficit. The Tigers scored two runs in the first inning on a bases-loaded walk by Pierre Seals and an RBI single from Donovan Jordan. They added single runs in the second and third innings, with Keegan Knutson delivering an RBI double to pull Missouri within 4-5.

Mount St. Mary’s had built its initial lead with a three-run sixth inning. Mendes doubled, Bauman drove him in with an RBI double, and Fredo followed with a triple to score Bauman. Fredo then came home on a sacrifice fly by Toth.

Missouri threatened repeatedly, out-hitting the Mountaineers 8-8 and drawing 10 walks and five hit-by-pitches, but stranded 13 runners on base. The Tigers left the bases loaded in the first and fourth innings. Mountaineers reliever JB Manarchuck entered in the third and surrendered the tying run, but the bullpen combination that followed him and starter Serigne Sarre held Missouri scoreless over the final six innings.

Missouri center fielder Pierre Seals walked twice, drove in a run and scored another. For the Mountaineers, Bauman’s five RBIs proved the difference.

With the win, Mount St. Mary’s begins its season 1-0, while Missouri starts 0-1. The two teams are scheduled to continue the series Saturday and Sunday at Alico Arena.