CONWAY, Ark. _ The Missouri State Bears used a seven-run fifth inning to propel themselves to a 12-1 victory over the University of Central Arkansas Bears in the season opener for both teams on Friday at Bear Stadium.

    The visiting Bears scored two innings in both the first and third innings, then exploded for seven in the fifth to put the game away. UCA also contributed three errors on opening day and finished with just five hits. Senior third baseman Logan Preston and sophomore catcher Justin McCarty combined for all five, with Preston going 3 for 4 and McCarty 2 for 3 with UCA's lone RBI.

    UCA ace, senior righthander Connor Gilmore, allowed two earned runs in the first inning on Aaron Meyer's two-run home run to right field  but settled down after that. In the third inning, two Bears' errors allowed two more runs for a 4-0 MSU lead.

    In the fifth, MSU pounded out six hits, including double-double-triple to start the inning, and also got a three-run home run to dead center field from first baseman Jake Burger to increase its lead to 11-0. The UCA Bears got their lone run in the bottom of that inning when Preston blooped a single to right field and went to second on  Brandon Montalvo's ground out. McCarty then laced a single to left center to score Preston with the first run of the season.

    MSU added one final run in the seventh on Blake Graham's RBI single to left field. 

    Gilmore, who went 8-3 last season, took the opening loss, striking out 5 and walking 4 in 4.0 innings. Sophomore Tyler Gray went the final 4.1 innings for the Bears, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs and striking out 5. MSU starter Jordan Knutson tossed 6.2 innings, with just 4 hits and 7 strikeouts. Meyer finished 3 for 4 with 3 RBI, while Burger and Graham had 3 and 2 RBI, respectively.

    The teams will meet in a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday to avoid possible rain on Sunday.