SPRINGFIELD, Mo. –  After Missouri State erased a two-run Murray State lead with a two-out rally in the ninth inning, Drew Millas's run-scoring single in the 10th inning lifted the Bears to a 5-4 walkoff victory over the Racers Wednesday afternoon at Hammons Field. 

Brooks Zimmerman's two-run double on a 3-2 pitch with two out in the bottom of the ninth completed the Bears' comeback from an early three-run deficit, before Millas capped MSU's seventh come-from-behind victory of the season with a gap-shot that chased John Privitera home from second with the game-winner the following inning.

Held to just one hit through the first 8 2/3 innings, the Bears (13-6) mounted their late charge with some help from a pair of newcomers and a daring two-out double steal that put the tying run in scoring position. Down to their final two outs and trailing 4-2, the Bears' key rally started with Ben Whetstone reaching first after being hit by a Caleb Hicks offering, before freshman Sam Faith drew a walk to put the potential equalizing run on base. After Matt Brown was called out on a questionable third strike, Whetstone and Faith pulled off a successful double steal of third and second, and Zimmerman lofted a liner that fell just inside the left-field foul line to bring in both baserunners and tie the game.

Connor Sechler (3-1) followed with a 1-2-3 top of the 10th, before Privitera led off the home half of the inning with a single up the middle. Hunter Steinmetz sacrificed the runner to second, and the Racers elected to intentionally walk Jeremy Eierman to put runners at first and second with one out. On a 3-1 pitch from Alec Whaley (3-2), Millas lined a shot that split the gap in left-center to give Privitera plenty of time to come around with the deciding run.

The victory was made possible by a solid effort from the Missouri State bullpen, which held the Racers to a single unearned run over the final seven innings. In all, five Bears hurlers combined to match an MSU season high with 14 strikeouts, while limiting the Racers to just six hits on the day. Sechler fanned four over the final 1 2/3 innings to earn the victory, after freshman Matt Russell turned in a career performance with 4.1 innings of one-hit relief, over which the right-hander struck out six hitters.

That effort was matched by Murray State left-hander Luke Brown, who held the Bears hitless over 4.0 innings of relief. MSU managed just two walks against Brown from the fourth through the seventh innings, and the Bears wouldn't register their second hit of the game until Zimmerman's game-tying double in the ninth.

Murray State (11-11) gained the upper hand with a strong start that saw it post single tallies in each of the first three innings. A Brandon Gutzler single and a Davis Sims double, coupled with a two-out walk and hit batsman gave the visitors an early 1-0 lead in the first. Hicks doubled the margin with a leadoff home run to right in the second, before Mike Farnell followed suit with a two-out solo shot off MSU starter Tyler McAlister in the third for a 3-0 Racers lead.

The Bears responded in the bottom of the third, using a leadoff walk to Privitera and a Steinmetz triple to spark their offense. Millas bounced a ground ball to the right side of the MSU infield to bring in Steinmetz from third and cut the deficit to one run.

From there, Brown and Hicks would combine to keep the Bears at bay, facing just one batter over the minimum from the fourth through the eighth frames. A two-out Missouri State fielding miscue in the top of the ninth handed the Racers what appeared to be a key insurance run, and Hicks fanned Millas to start the ninth, before putting Whetstone aboard to open the door for the Bears.

Millas drove in his team-leading 23rd and 24th runs of the season, while Privitera went 1-for-3 with a walk and two critical runs scored for MSU.

Farnell led the Murray State attack, going 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBIs.

Missouri State continues its five-game home stand this weekend, when it hosts Cal State Northridge in a three-game series, beginning with a 3 p.m. contest Friday (March 23).