WICHITA, Kansas—Another night, another win. Missouri State’s pulsating baseball beat goes on.

The No. 8-ranked Bears beat Wichita State 6-4 late Friday night to earn a trip to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title game at 7 p.m. Saturday against Bradley.

Missouri State (44-10) won its 15th straight and beat the Shockers for the fifth time in five tries this season.

An NCAA Tournament berth – perhaps a regional host’s role – could already be assured. The Bears feel no pressure, but are in no mood to lose.

“We want to win this game. There’s never a game you want to take off,” center fielder Tate Matheny said. “We want to win it for us and for our school.

“We’ll go out and have fun, like we do every day. But we’re going to push hard to win that game.”

Matheny had three hits and Dylan Becker hit a double and inside-the-park home run as the Bears’ longest winning streak since 1989 marched on.

This time, Missouri State had to come from behind after the Shockers grabbed a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning. It was no trouble for a team that seems unfazed, taking its 20th comeback victory of the season.

“It’s not a position we haven’t been in and not something we’re uncomfortable with,” coach Keith Guttin said. “We have older guys. It’s a confident group.

“And again, when you have a good bullpen it makes all the difference in the world.”

Jordan Knutson (5-1) pitched in and out of trouble for 5 2/3 innings and allowing three runs to earn the victory. Sam Perez bridged the game until Bryan Young came on to get the final five outs for his 13th save, tying a Missouri State season record.

The Shockers scored once in the ninth and had runners on second and third with one out. But Young struck out Tanner Kirk and Bob Arens to end it.

Young said he was toying with a new pitch and it got him in trouble.

“I got back to my bread-and-butter, my slider,” Young said. “It was good.”

It’s on to the finals, where the Bears — regular-season Valley champs — go for their first conference tourney title since 1997.

“We haven’t talked about that,” Matheny said. “That’s the first I’ve heard of that, when you brought it up.

“Yeah, we’d like to win the championship.”

Run-scoring singles by Spencer Johnson and Eric Cheray rallied the Bears to a 3-2 lead in the fifth. Cheray had three hits and was on base five times.

An inning later, Dylan Becker’s two-out screamer to center was misjudged by Daniel Kihle and rolled all the way to the wall. Becker circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run, the relay throw home wide and high, and it was 5-3.

The lead was padded in the seventh off reliever John Hayes as Justin Paulsen walked with the bases full.

Young tied Shaun Marcum (2003) and Dan Kickham (2011) for the school’s season record for saves. He will attempt to break it on Saturday.

“It’s an honor to be mentioned with those guys, who both went on to pitch professionally,” Young said. “We just want to keep it going.”

Earlier, Bradley (35-8) earned its first trip to a Valley tourney title game since 1996 – when it lost to Missouri State – with a 3-1 victory over Dallas Baptist.

Cameron Roegner recorded his longest career outing, allowing one run in eight innings before Matt Dennis pitched a hitless ninth for his 12th save.

Dallas Baptist (43-13) remains a probable No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament when pairings are announced on Monday.