VALPARAISO, Ind. – After being held scoreless for five innings, Missouri State's offense erupted for six runs over a three-inning span to complete a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series sweep of Valparaiso with a 6-2 victory Sunday afternoon at Bauer Field.

Jordan Fitzpatrick clubbed a two-run homer to open the scoring in the sixth inning, then put the Bears on top to stay with an RBI single in the eighth. With his third multi-hit game of the series, Drew Millas completed a red-hot 7-for-13 weekend in Indiana with another clutch hit to set up the Bears' decisive four-run eighth inning. The sophomore ripped a leadoff double down the right-field line, before coming around with the go-ahead run on Fitzpatrick's single to left moments later.

Jack Duffy's three-run blast later in the eighth provided some much-needed breathing room and capped a weekend that saw the sophomore drive in seven runs in the three-game series. 

Six Missouri State pitchers teamed up to hold Valpo in check, as the Crusaders managed just single tallies on a pair of bases-loaded walks in the sixth and seventh frames. Connor Sechler (5-1) earned the victory in his third appearance in as many days against Valparaiso, working an inning and a third, before Dylan Coleman closed out the Bears' 35th Valley win in their last 38 regular-season conference games.

Valpo starter Wes Gordon (2-5) stymied the Bears for five innings, allowing no more than one MSU baserunner in each of the first four innings. A two-out throwing error opened the door for the Bears in the fifth. The first of John Privitera's three hits on the day gave them their first prime scoring opportunity, but Gordon wiggled out of the jam by inducing a fly ball to left off the bat of Jeremy Eierman to end the inning.

Ben Whetstone's one-out walk the following inning would set up another threat. Fitzpatrick followed by belting the first pitch he saw from Gordon over the wall in right for his first collegiate homer and a 2-0 MSU lead.

The Crusaders responded in the home half of the sixth, converting a leadoff single by Jayden Eggimann into their first run after base hits from Chase Dawson and Blake Lutgen loaded the bases and Giovanni Garbella coaxed ball four from Jake Lochner.

Valpo struck again in the seventh, this time rallying for the tying run after Lochner easily retired the first two hitters of the inning. But a walk to Eggimann preceded back-to-back singles by Dawson and Sam Shaiken to load the bases once again. Lutgen delivered for the Crusaders a second time, working the count full against Sechler, before drawing a free pass to bring in Eggimann for a second time in as many innings.

The victory also elevated the Bears to the 30-win mark for the 33rd time—30 of which have come under the direction of head coach Keith Guttin. In addition to multi-hit days by Privitera, Millas and Fitzpatrick, Matt Brown added a 2-for-4 effort to help pace the Bears' 10-hit attack.

Eggimann reached safely in three of his four plate appearances for VU, while Gordon allowed just three runs on six hits over 7.0 innings.

Missouri State returns home to Hammons Field to host Southern Illinois in a three-game Valley set, beginning Friday (May 11) with a 6:30 p.m. contest.