SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Missouri State (14-9) collected 15 hits and got solid pitching from starter Blake Barber to turn back visiting Kansas, 6-0, here Wednesday night at Hammons Field.

    Aaron Conway and Spiker Helms had three hits apiece for the Bears who won for the sixth time in seven games. J.C. Casey pitched the final two innings to help secure Barber’s third win of the season.

    The Bears struck first by putting up three tallies in the bottom of the fourth off KU starter Thomas Taylor. A leadoff double by Brent Seifert set the table for Luke Voit’s sixth double of the year two batters later to plate the first run of the night. After Travis McComack walked and Derek Mattea popped out to left, No. 9 hitter Brett Marshall hit a slow chopper toward short that left Jayhawks’ third baseman Jake Marasco without an option and extended the inning. Marshall’s infield hit was followed by a two-out, two-run single by Conway to make it 3-0.

    Coach Keith Guttin’s squad tacked on a run in the bottom of the sixth with one-out sacrifice fly from Conway, putting the home club on top 4-0.

    MSU extended its advantage to 6-0 in the bottom of the seventh when Brent Seifert reached on an infield hit, and Luke Voit singled with one out. McComack walked to load the bases, and Mattea plated two with a single to center.
   
    Barber’s efforts on the hill were steady as he surrendered just six hits in seven innings of work with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. He improved to 3-2 on the season.

    Kansas (10-14) scattered nine hits, including three by Brandon Macias, and left eight on base. Taylor lasted just four innings in dropping to 2-1 on the season and was followed to the mound by five Jayhawk relievers.

    Despite temperatures in the 30s, the Hammons Field crowd of 467 saw the Bears improve to 8-2 at home this year. 

    Missouri State begins a home-and-home, three-game weekend series with Saint Louis on Friday with a 6 p.m. road game. The Bears finish out the St. Louis portion on Saturday at 2 p.m. before welcoming the Billikens to Hammons Field on Sunday at 1 p.m.