WICHITA, Kan. -- After being shut out the previous two days against Wichita State, the Missouri State baseball team found plenty of offense Sunday in claiming a 10-3 win over the Shockers in the finale of the Missouri Valley Conference series at Eck Stadium in Wichita.
The Bears (19-30, 5-13 MVC) posted an improbable six-run third inning after having the bases empty with two outs and no runs across.
Kevin Medrano started the rally with a single and
Keenen Maddox walked before
Tyler Paxson,
Curt Courtwright and
Tyler Ryun hit consecutive RBI singles. WSU’s first baseman dropped the third out on a throw from the shortstop to let Courtwright score and
J.C. Casey reach before
Brett Marshall ripped a two-run double to left for the fifth and sixth runs.
Paxson and Courtwright hit RBI singles in the fourth to make it 8-1, and Courtwright’s career-high fourth hit followed Paxson’s RBI fielder’s choice in the fifth to put the Bears ahead 10-2. Both players finished the game with three RBIs.
Missouri State’s
Pat Doyle cruised through seven innings, yielding only a pair of unearned runs in the first and fourth frames before running into trouble in the eighth.
WSU’s (34-18, 15-6) Cody Lassley led off the eighth with a double and scored on Preston Springer’s RBI single before Doyle gave up a single, recorded an out and issued a walk to load the bases with one out.
Grant Gordon relieved Doyle and got a 5-4-3 double play from the first hitter to end the threat and take the game into the ninth at 10-3.
Doyle (5-8) picked up the win while moving into second in MSU history with his 71st career appearance. He allowed an earned run in 7.1 innings with two walks and a strikeout. Gordon finished 1.2 innings with three strikeouts.
Courtwright’s four hits led a 15-hit barrage for the offense. Paxson went 3-for-5, while Medrano, Maddox and Marshall each finished with two hits.
The Bears begin their final regular-season series Thursday at 1 p.m. against Southern Illinois (25-26, 8-9) at Hammons Field.
