The Missouri State baseball team scored two runs in the first and never looked back in a 7-2 non-conference victory over Kansas Tuesday evening at Hammons Field in Springfield.

MSU improved to 14-9 with its ninth win in the last 11 games. The Jayhawks evened their record at 15-15.

The Bears were on the board two batters into the game, as Ben Woodbury ran out an infield single to lead off and Nolan Keane knocked an RBI opposite field double to left center. Keane stole third and later scored on Ben Carlson’s ground out for a 2-0 lead.

KU’s Kyle Murphy cut the lead in half with a solo home run in the third, ending Tim Clubb’s 11.2 inning scoreless streak.

Clubb threw his second consecutive strong outing, following last week’s complete-game shutout at Arkansas State with 7.1 innings of four-hit ball this week. The freshman struck out four and allowed two runs to move to 3-0 this season. Only three of the last 62 batters Clubb has faced have advanced beyond second base.

After the first, Jayhawk starter Andres Esquibel (4-2) retired 12 hitters in a row before Brayden Drake bounced a single over third to lead off the fifth. Clay Coulter singled to right and Drake stole third to put runners on the corners with two outs for Woodbury. The Bears’ leadoff man launched his third home run of the year to left to give MSU a 5-1 advantage.

Missouri State loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Keane hit an RBI single to right and Coulter scored on a wild pitch for a 7-1 lead.

The Jayhawks loaded the bases in the eighth and pushed one run across to pull within 7-2.

Buddy Baumann got the final five outs, giving up no hits and striking out four batters.

Missouri State hosts Saint Louis (5-20) at 7 p.m. Wednesday.