May 2, 2015 Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Missouri State junior pitcher Matt Hall struck out a career-high 15 batters over a dominant seven-inning performance that propelled the Bears to a 9-1 victory over Wichita State Saturday afternoon at Hammons Field. With the win, MSU secured its seventh-straight series victory, thanks in large part to the work of Hall and an offense paced by the first four-hit performance of freshman Jake Burger's collegiate career.
Hall (7-2) surrendered a single run on just two singles over his 7.0 frames, recording seven consecutive outs via strikeouts over a three-inning stretch that saw the Bears claim the lead for good. The left-hander recorded multiple strikeouts in five of his seven innings and came within one strikeout of matching Pierce Johnson's Hammons Field record of 16, set on March 23, 2012 vs. Creighton. In all, his 15 K's tied four other MSU hurlers for the fourth-best single-game total in school history.
Missouri State's offense enjoyed a strong all-around afternoon as well, reaching the 10-hit barrier as a team for the 22nd time this season while drawing a season-best 13 walks from WSU pitchers. The Bears struck for three runs in the third to erase a 1-0 deficit, then opened up a six-run bulge with a four-run fifth that was fueled by Burger's second run-scoring single of the contest. The freshman third baseman, who also drove in a run with a two-out hit in the third, reached safely in all five of his trips to the plate, topping off his 4-for-4 effort with back-to-back doubles in the sixth and eighth innings.
In addition to Burger's big day, Justin Paulsen produced a pair of RBI singles, and Spencer Johnson chipped in with a 2-for-5 day that included a run-scoring single in the Bears' four-run fifth inning.
The victory marked the 17th come-from-behind win of the season for the Bears, who saw Wichita State (18-28, 6-8 MVC) come through with a two-out rally in the first to take a 1-0 lead. After falling behind 5-0 in Friday's series opener, the Shockers wasted little time in grabbing the upper hand in game two. A one-out walk to Ryan Tinkham and a wild pitch on Hall's strikeout of Sam Hilliard set up the first-inning scoring threat, as Gunnar Troutwine's two-out single to left put the visitors on the board first.
The Bears (33-10, 11-3 MVC) mounted a first-inning threat of their own, using back-to-back walks from WSU starter Chase Williams to generate an early scoring chance. But Eric Cheray lined a 3-2 pitch into the glove of a perfectly positioned Tinkham at first, who then stepped on the bag to double off Tate Matheny to squash the rally.
Unlike the first inning, the Bears capitalized on Williams' generosity in the third, cashing in on a trio of walks that loaded the bases and opened the door for the key rally of the afternoon. With two men out, Burger's chopper to deep short brought in Joey Hawkins with the tying run, and Trey Vickers' errant throw to second allowed Matheny to come around with the go-ahead tally as well. Paulsen added to the lead with a line-drive single to right that handed Hall all the run support he would need.
With Hall in full control on the mound, striking out the side in three of the first five innings, the Bears rode a leadoff hit by Hawkins to kick off another scoring bonanza in the home half of the fifth. Cheray coaxed his second walk of the day to put two on base with just one out, and Burger laced a single through the left side to push the lead to 4-1. Next, Williams dealt Paulsen a free pass, and Johnson followed with his ninth hit in 12 bases-loaded at-bats this season to make it a four-run contest.
Williams (1-4), who handed out nine of the Shockers' 13 bases-on-balls, walked both Cory Kay and Dylan Becker with the bases full to end his day, before reliever Reagan Biechler retired Hawkins to end the inning.
The Bears tacked on insurance runs in both the seventh and eighth innings after leadoff doubles by Johnson and Burger were followed up by run-scoring singles by Aaron Meyer and Paulsen, respectively.
Junior reliever Sam Perez took over for Hall in the eighth and finished off the victory with 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing a pair of hits while striking out two Shockers.
The Bears will aim for the series sweep Sunday (May 3), when the two clubs square off in a 1:05 p.m. contest.
