Baseball Bears Fall Short to Dallas Baptist, 5-4

Missouri State's comeback effort falls just short against Conference USA foe

Mar. 28, 2026 at 8:21am

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The Missouri State Bears baseball team fell to the Dallas Baptist Patriots 5-4 in the series opener on Friday. Dallas Baptist scored three runs in the first inning and got a strong outing from pitcher Liam Watt to take the early lead. The Bears rallied late but ultimately came up short against their Conference USA opponent.

Why it matters

This loss drops Missouri State to 16-8 overall and 5-2 in conference play, putting them in a tie for second place in the Conference USA standings. The Bears were looking to build momentum after a strong start to the season, but this defeat against a fellow conference contender could impact their postseason positioning down the line.

The details

Dallas Baptist jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, collecting five hits. Patriot starter Liam Watt then retired the first 11 Missouri State batters he faced. The Bears finally broke through in the sixth inning with a two-run rally, but Dallas Baptist answered with another run to make it 5-2. Missouri State mounted one last comeback attempt in the eighth, scoring two more runs, but ultimately fell short 5-4.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 27, 2026.
  • Dallas Baptist scored three runs in the first inning.

The players

Liam Watt

The left-handed starting pitcher for Dallas Baptist who earned the win, going six strong innings and retiring the first 11 Missouri State batters he faced.

Gabe Roessler

The Missouri State outfielder who hit a home run in the sixth inning to get the Bears on the board.

Ross Felder

The Missouri State pitcher who made his first career start, going four innings.

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What they’re saying

“We had our chances late, but just couldn't quite complete the comeback. Credit to Dallas Baptist, they came out swinging and put us in an early hole.”

— Keith Guttin, Missouri State Head Coach

What’s next

The two teams will play game two of the series on Saturday at 3 p.m.

The takeaway

This was a tough loss for the Missouri State Bears, as they were unable to overcome an early three-run deficit against a strong Dallas Baptist squad. However, the Bears showed fight by rallying late, and will look to even the series on Saturday as they continue their Conference USA schedule.