MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Tal Dean and Luke Turner collected three hits each and the top five Bulldog batters drove in seven of the eight runs in an 8-6 season opening win over Kentucky Wesleyan on Friday to begin their four-game series. The teams return to action on Saturday with a scheduled doubleheader.

Zachry Schneider struck out 10 in six innings of work to pick up the victory and was backed for one inning each by Alex Leary, Tucker Olson and Michael Daggett. 

Back to back doubles by Dean and Turner was how the game began and Holden Missey picked up his 90th career RBI, moving him to within three of the Bulldog top 10 in RBIs to stake Truman out to a 1-0 lead. A sac fly from Dylan Thompson scored Turner in the next at bat.

The Panthers tied the game in their half of the first on a two-run home run.

Jack Darwin belted his fourth career home run in the top of the second for the Bulldogs to regain the lead and Simon Murray drew a two-out walk to turn the line-up back over. Dean singled in Murray and Turner hit his second double in as many innings to put the Bulldogs up 5-2.

In the fourth, Murray tripled to center field and came in to score on Dean's single to right. 

KWC cut the lead in half with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. 

Luke Roussel hit his first collegiate home run in the seventh to extend the lead to 7-3. 

The Panthers trimmed the lead down to two by plating two runs, both scoring on an error, in their half of the seventh.

Missey drew a one-out walk in the ninth and Thompson followed with an RBI double for an insurance run. 

Dagger allowed a two-out home run in the bottom of the ninth to earn his first save.