April 10, 2015 Box Score
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Missouri State rode its biggest scoring rally in three years and a strong starting effort from Jon Harris to pull away for a 13-2 run-rule victory over Evansville Friday evening at Braun Stadium. Led by Spencer Johnson's three doubles, the Bears (22-8, 5-2 MVC) logged season highs for hits (17) and doubles (6) to stretch their rode win streak to six games.
Missouri State seized control with an eight-run third, marking its best offensive output in an inning since a March 10, 2012 game against SIU Edwardsville. Tate Matheny, who drove in four runs on the night, keyed the rally with a bases-loaded double, before Johnson plated two more runs with the first of his school-record-tying three two-baggers.
Johnson finished 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and two RBIs, while Dylan Becker (3-for-4) reached base safely in five of his six trips to the plate. Jake Burger celebrated his 19th birthday by recording three hits and scoring two runs in addition to his two RBIs, and Matt Fultz registered hits in three consecutive trips to the plate after helping extend MSU's big inning by drawing a two-out walk.
On the mound, Harris (4-0) was in control throughout the evening, registering his second-straight double-digit strikeout effort with 10 punchouts. The junior right-hander scattered seven hits and allowed two run over his 7.0 innings of work to earn his fourth victory in four decisions this spring.
Matheny delivered the key blow in the Bears' big inning, driving an 0-2 pitch into the left-center field gap to clear the bases after the first three batters reached base on a pair of walks and a Becker single. UE starter Connor Strain (1-4) recovered to retire the next two batters, but Fultz coaxed a free pass to keep the rally going, and Johnson made the Aces (16-13, 5-5 MVC) pay with his two-run double off the right-field wall to push the MSU lead to five runs.
Next, Burger chopped a single through the left side of the infield to bring home Johnson, before a third-consecutive MSU hit by Justin Paulsen and a walk to Becker kept the inning alive. Joey Hawkins then capped the scoring with a liner into shallow center to plate two more runs for an 8-0 Bears advantage.
After a wobbly start to the night that saw a leadoff single and a pair of MSU errors put two Aces in scoring position before Harris could record the first out of the game, the junior righted the ship to set down nine straight UE hitters. With runners at second and third in the first, Harris fielded a come-backer and froze the man at third, before fanning cleanup man Jonathan Ramon and getting Eric McKibban on an inning-ending ground ball to first.
The Golden Spikes Award candidate cruised through the second and third frames, striking out four of the six UE hitters he faced. The home club mounted a two-out rally to break up the shutout bid in the fifth, as Josh Jyawook doubled to left and Jarrod Perry drove the runner home with a base hit.
After Fultz doubled and scored on Burger's second RBI single of the night in the top of the sixth, Evansville would scratch out another two-out rally in the seventh to pull to within 9-2. It would be the duo of Jyawook and Perry keying the attack once again after Harris easily dispatched the first two hitters of the inning. Kevin Kaczmarski's RBI single brought home Jyawook, and a walk to Ramon loaded the bases before Harris got the final out on a fly ball to center.
The Bears eliminated any doubt about the outcome with a four-run eighth, as Johnson drove in Fultz with his third double of the game, matching a Missouri State record achieved by 18 previous players, most-recently by Patrick Drake in February 2014. Becker also singled home a run, and Matheny completed the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center to establish a new season high for RBIs.
Nick Brown closed out the eight-inning victory in his first MVC appearance, retiring three in a row after issuing a leadoff walk.
In addition to the four Bears who delivered three-hit performances, Hawkins went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while Paulsen scored three runs with two hits and a pair of walks in five plate appearances.
Jyawook led the Aces with a 3-for-4 night, and Perry and Kaczmarski recorded the only other UE hits, with each finishing 2-for-4.
Up next, the two clubs continue their series Saturday (April 11) with a 2 p.m. contest before wrapping up the weekend with a 1 p.m. game Sunday.
