SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Eighth-ranked Arkansas used a pair of three-run rallies to overcome a 2-0 deficit and hand Missouri State its sixth-consecutive loss with an 8-2 decision Tuesday evening at Hammons Field.

MSU freshman left-hander Ben Cruikshank shackled the Arkansas lineup for five shutout innings, but the Razorbacks cranked up their offense to score eight times over the final four innings to seal the outcome.

Jacob Nesbit's two-run single in the sixth tied the game at 2-2, before Zack Plunkett gave Arkansas the lead for good with an RBI single. Dominic Fletcher went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, as well as an RBI single as part of the Razorbacks' three-run seventh.

Eight Razorback hurlers combined to limit the Bears to single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings, while fanning 10 hitters. MSU's team strikeout total reached double-digits for the eighth-straight contest and the 14th time in 22 games this season. Zebulon Vermillion (3-0) picked up the mound victory, while Kole Ramage and three subsequent relievers combined to keep MSU off the scoreboard over the final four innings.

Arkansas starter Patrick Wicklander was in control throughout his 2.0 perfect innings, striking out five of the six Bears he faced before yielding to his bullpen. After Connor Noland turned in a scoreless third, the Bears got to Marshall Denton with a two-out rally to plate the game's first run in the fourth. A one-out Drew Millas single set the stage, and Joey Polak kept the inning alive by beating out a fielder's choice grounder to second.

Dakota Kotowski, who registered a career-best three hits in four at-bats to lead MSU's offense, came through with a base hit, before pinch hitter Jordan Fitzpatrick gave the Bears a 1-0 lead with his run-scoring single to left. The Bears (5-17) had an opportunity to add to their lead when Mason Hull was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Vermillion retired Ben Whetstone on a fly ball to center to end the threat.

MSU would tack on a second run the following inning, taking advantage of a hit batsman to start the rally. A sacrifice bunt and a fly ball allowed Jack Duffy to move to third, before a two-out wild pitch allowed the junior to trot home for a 2-0 Bears lead.

Held in check through five innings, as Cruikshank struck out a career-high five hitters and allowed just two singles, the Razorbacks used a one-out single by Fletcher to ignite their offense in the fourth. In all, the first five Arkansas hitters would reach base, including a string of three-straight singles by Jack Kenley, Nesbit and Plunkett.

In the seventh, a one-out walk to Heston Kjerstad started another stretch that saw Fletcher drive a run-scoring hit to left, and Goodheart stretch the margin to 6-2 with his two-run single through the right side of the MSU infield.

The Razorbacks (21-4) added two more runs in the ninth, as Kjerstad led off the inning with his fifth home run of the season, and Kenley plated the eighth Arkansas run of the night with a two-out single.

Hayden Juenger (0-2) shouldered the loss after allowing three runs on three hits and two walks, before Nate Witherspoon finished the contest for MSU with 2 2/3 innings of relief, scattering two earned runs on four hits with a season-high three strikeouts.

In addition to Kotowski's three-hit night, Millas finished with his fourth multi-hit game of the year—a 2-for-5 effort that extended his personal hit streak to a career-best six-straight games.

Missouri State continues a five-game home stand with a Wednesday (March 27) night meeting with Kansas. First pitch from Hammons Field is slated for 6:30 p.m.