ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The Pittsburg State University baseball team scored four runs in the top of the 11th inning to break open a 1-1 game and claim a 5-1 victory over Missouri Western State University Friday (Apr. 25) in the three-game MIAA series opener between the two schools.

Hayden Dyer walked to open the 11th inning and scored from third base on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run. He had advanced to second when Kadyn Williams was hit by pitch and Andrew Branson bunted Dyer and pinch runner Brett Sarwinski into scoring position. Sarwinski scored on Jake Skaggs' grounder and Karson Coffee and Rickey Sanchez followed with two-out run-scoring hits to cap the big inning.

Cooper Crouch (4-2) worked 3.0 innings of two-hit relief to earn the win behind starter Maddox Thornton, who limited the Griffons to one run on six hits over 8.0 innings of work.

Drew Bugner saw his 21-game hitting streak end in the contest. His streak was tied for the second-longest in school history. He went 0-for-5 with a walk in the contest.

Pitt State (34-9, 22-9 MIAA) and Missouri Western (13-29, 11-20 MIAA) will return to the diamond for a 4 p.m. contest Saturday (Apr. 26).