Mizzou Ends Missouri State's Winning Streak

Tigers rally late to defeat Bears 5-2 in cross-state rivalry matchup

Apr. 8, 2026 at 2:08am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball game between two teams, with sharp planes of color and overlapping shapes representing the competitive energy of the rivalry.The intense rivalry between the Missouri Tigers and Missouri State Bears is captured in a cubist-inspired illustration that deconstructs the action on the field.Columbia Today

The Missouri State Bears entered Tuesday night's game in Columbia looking to extend their winning streak to five games, but the Missouri Tigers had other plans. After the Bears took an early 1-0 lead, Mizzou battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the first. The teams traded runs to make it 2-2 before the Tigers broke through with a three-run homer from Donovan Jordan in the third inning, helping Mizzou snap Missouri State's winning streak with a 5-2 victory.

Why it matters

This cross-state rivalry between the Tigers and Bears is always highly anticipated, with both teams vying for bragging rights and momentum in the competitive Missouri college baseball landscape. Mizzou's comeback win halts Missouri State's recent hot streak and demonstrates the Tigers' ability to rally late against a tough conference opponent.

The details

In the first inning, Missouri State loaded the bases and Carter Bergman was hit by a pitch, scoring Logan Fyffe to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. Mizzou answered in the bottom half, as Jase Woita singled to center to score Blaize Ward and tie the game at 2-2. The Bears evened the score again in the second on a wild pitch that scored Bobby Atkinson. But in the third inning, it was Donovan Jordan's birthday, and he celebrated by crushing a three-run homer to left field to put the Tigers up 5-2, a lead they would not relinquish.

  • The game took place on Tuesday night in Columbia, Missouri.
  • Missouri State entered the game on a four-game winning streak.

The players

Carter Bergman

A Missouri State Bears player who was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give the Bears an early 1-0 lead.

Logan Fyffe

A Missouri State Bears player who scored the team's first run after Bergman was hit by the pitch.

Jase Woita

A Missouri Tigers player who singled to center field to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning.

Blaize Ward

A Missouri Tigers player who scored the tying run in the first inning after Woita's single.

Donovan Jordan

A Missouri Tigers player who hit a three-run home run in the third inning on his birthday to give Mizzou a 5-2 lead.

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What they’re saying

“We knew Missouri State was going to be a tough opponent, but our guys really battled back and showed a lot of fight to get this win on our home field.”

— Steve Bieser, Missouri Tigers Head Coach

What’s next

The Tigers will look to build on this rivalry win as they continue their conference schedule, while the Bears will aim to start a new winning streak in their next matchup.

The takeaway

This back-and-forth game between the in-state foes demonstrated the competitive nature of Missouri college baseball, with the Tigers rallying late to snap the Bears' winning streak and earn bragging rights in the state.