Missouri State scored 12 runs in the first two innings and notched a season-high 20 hits in a 16-3 win over visiting Southeast Missouri State Wednesday afternoon at Hammons Field.
The Bears improved to 8-10 with their fourth consecutive win, while SEMO fell to 10-8.
Aaron Conway led off the game for MSU with a single and stole second before
Kevin Medrano’s bunt single put runners on the corners with no outs.
Brayden Drake drove in the game’s first run with a single to third, Medrano scored on a balk and
Trevor Rogers came through with a two-out, two-RBI single to drive in
Chris Playter and
Dallas Hord for a 4-0 lead.
The Bears loaded the bases with no outs in the second, setting up Drake’s two-run single that ended starter John Salazar’s day. That brought Josh Syberg in from the bullpen to walk Playter and give up a grand slam to Hord, the Bears’ second in as many games.
Travis McComack doubled home
Zak Swyhart and scored on Conway’s two-out single to cap the scoring at eight runs.
While the offense was providing the fireworks,
Pat Doyle (1-2) was cruising through the first two innings on 17 pitches before yielding his first hit in the third. Doyle went three innings, fanning three and allowing just one baserunner on the second-inning single while being credited with the win. The Bears used six pitchers over the final six innings.
The Bears remained at 12 runs until the sixth when
Tyler Ryun slugged his second homer of the series with no outs and Swyhart on first. Swyhart drove in a run with his fourth hit of the game in the seventh, extending the lead to 15-3.
Christian Overstreet added a solo homer in the eighth.
SEMO managed a sacrifice fly in the fifth and two unearned runs in the seventh.
Hord finished 3-for-3 with four RBIs, Drake drove in three runs and Swyhart went 4-for-4. Conway, Medrano and McComack had two hits each, while Rogers and Ryun had two-RBI days.
The Bears open the Missouri Valley Conference schedule Friday with a 6:30 game against Bradley (5-8) at Hammons Field.
