Missouri used a pair of runs in the sixth inning and a career outing from starting pitcher Ian Berger to topple the Missouri State baseball team 3-1 Tuesday in front of 3,712 fans at Hammons Field in Springfield.

Missouri broke the scoreless tie as the rain started to fall in the sixth inning when Kyle Mach rolled a single between the diving efforts of Brayden Drake at third and Tanner Mattson at shortstop. Aaron Senne scored easily from third, and Brock Bond crashed into Mattson from behind and fell over near third base. The umpire called obstruction on the Bears’ shortstop and awarded Bond home for a 2-0 Tiger lead.

Matt Lawson led off the seventh with a double into the right field corner and scored on a Shane Elenz ground out to cut the MU lead to 2-1. It was the first run this season surrendered by MU reliever Ryan Gargano in 15 innings.

The Tigers added an insurance run in the ninth with an RBI single from Ryan Lollis.

Berger (3-1) tossed six shutout innings for the Tigers, scattering three hits and striking out five.

Tim Clubb (4-2) was again the victim of a lack of offense, allowing one earned run in six innings but suffering the defeat on the mound.

MSU’s Matt Frevert allowed the first two Missouri hitters of the seventh to reach but fanned the next five in a row and six overall in two innings of work.

The Bears finished 0-for-7 at the plate with runners in scoring position.

MSU fell to 19-17 with the loss, and Missouri improved to 26-11.

Missouri State hosts No. 9 Arkansas tomorrow at 6 p.m. The Razorbacks won last week’s meeting by a 2-0 score in Fayetteville.