SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – It may have been Senior Day at Hammons Field, but Missouri State's talented rookie class provided the final push in an 8-6 victory over Valparaiso in the regular-season finale for both clubs. Freshman shortstop Mason Hull belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to complete the first Missouri Valley Conference series sweep of the season for the Bears, who rallied from two runs down in the eighth inning to send their three seniors out in style.

After Valpo reliever Easton Rhodehouse (2-3) issued a one-out walk to Anthony Herron Jr., Hull lifted the first pitch he saw over the wall in left-center for the game-clinching home run, capping a three-RBI afternoon for the MSU shortstop. All three freshmen in the Bears starting lineup—Hull, Herron and Dakota Kotowski—logged at least one RBI in the game, while four freshman hurlers combined to strike out seven Crusaders over the first 7.2 innings.

The victory closed the Hammons Field careers of three MSU seniors, including Brooks Zimmerman, who added an RBI double as part of a two-run rally in the third that gave the Bears a 3-2 lead.

After Kotowski's run-scoring grounder handed his club a 1-0 lead in the first following a leadoff double by Jack Duffy, Valpo responded with a two-run third off MSU starter Nick Schmidt. Duffy ignited another MSU threat in the home half of the third, drawing a leadoff walk from Jarrett Hammel before Zimmerman's drive down the left-field line chased home the tying run. Two batters later, Herron delivered with a two-bagger of his own to deep left to put MSU on top once again.

The Crusaders (14-35, 6-15 MVC) had an answer, using singles by Brent Jones and Jeremy Drudge to initiate another rally in the fourth. Some shaky MSU defense fueled the fire for Valpo, as Kapers plated a tun with a fielder's choice chopper back to the mound, and Drudge came home with an unearned tally on a two-out wild pitch that followed a passed ball. The visitors would extend their lead in the fifth, cashing in with a two-out single by Jones that scored Blake Billinger from second for a 5-3 Crusader advantage.

The Bears (19-34, 10-11 MVC) inched closer in their half of the fifth after loading the bases with nobody out via two walks and a Valpo error. Hull's sacrifice fly to center chased home Zimmerman, but Crusader reliever Montana Quigley induced a bouncer to first that Jones converted into an out at the plate, then struck out Logan Geha to  strand a pair of MSU baserunners.

Ben Whetstone snapped an 0-for-8 start to the series with a long home run to right-center to start the eighth, pulling the Bears to within one run. Geha followed with a double into the gap in right-center, then advanced to third on a Rhodehouse pitch in the dirt. John Privitera's hot shot to first against a drawn-in Valpo infield produced the equalizing run for the Bears, but Rhodehouse kept the score knotted at 6-6 by retiring the next three hitters in succession.

Zach Gibbs (2-0) earned the victory for MSU after posting a scoreless ninth with a pair of strikeouts, including the final out of the inning against Steven Fitzsimmons after a two-out hit by Billinger.

Duffy led MSU's offense with his 13th multi-hit performance in the Bears' last 25 games, going 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Herron reached base safely via a hit or walk in three of his five trips to the plate, and Geha added a two-hit effort as well.

Billinger paced Valpo's 11-hit attack with a 3-for-4 effort, and Riley Dent reached base in four of his five plate appearances, going 2-for-3 with two walks. Quigley registered a solid appearance, striking out four Bears and allowing just one baserunner in 3.0 hitless innings.

After securing the sixth position in the MVC regular-season standings, the Bears will face the Crusaders Tuesday (May 21) in opening-round action of the 2019 MVC Baseball Championship at Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Ill. The winner will advance to the double-elimination portion of the bracket, while the loser's season will come to a close. All MVC Tournament contests will be streamed live on ESPN+.