Bolivar, Mo. – The Bearcats opened up a three game series with the Emporia State Hornets Friday afternoon. ESU took game one 6-2, moving the Bearcats to 9-15 (4-9 MIAA) on the season.
 
The Hornets struck early, taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Cory Dudley bounced back, getting the batters three up – three down in the second inning. The first Bearcat hit came from Blake Hobbs with two outs in the second inning, but he was stranded there. In the third inning Caleb Sneed extended his hitting streak to 14 games, dropping a base hit into left field.
 
The Bearcats got a runner in scoring position in the fourth inning, but Emporia State was able to get out of the inning unharmed. The Hornets loaded the bases in the fifth inning, but thanks to Cory Dudley and the SBU defense, only one run was scored. Luke Winfrey hit a one out double down the right field line, sparking the SBU offense in the fifth. Caleb Sneed followed with his second hit of the game, driving in Winfrey to put the Bearcats on the board. Carl Schwettmann then singled, moving Sneed to second. A flyout moved Sneed over to third, later scoring on an error by the catcher to cut the Hornet lead to 4-2.
 
Emporia State scored run number 5 in the 7^th inning, but the Bearcats got out of the inning without surrendering any more runs. ESU's 6^th and final run came in the 8^th inning. The Hornets got another man on base in the 9^th with two outs, but Hunter Hisky hosed him trying to steal second. Trevor Lofstrom hit a two out single to left field in SBU's final effort to score, but the game ended with a final of 6-2 in favor of the visitors.
 
Caleb Sneed went 2-4 at the plate, driving in a run and scoring the other. The other 5 hits were divided up by 5 batters. Parker Dent pitched the 9^th inning, not allowing a hit and striking out one batter.
 
Due to potential rain, game two of the series has been moved up to an 11 AM start time on Saturday morning.