HATTIESBURG, Miss. – After Southern Miss carried a perfect game and 3-0 lead into the sixth inning Sunday, Missouri State rallied to get the go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth before falling 3-1 to the Eagles at Pete Taylor Park.

USM (12-6) starter Ben Ethridge retired the first 16 Missouri State hitters he faced before Blake Mozley broke up the perfect game with a single in the sixth.

By that point, the Eagles held a 3-0 advantage, opening the game with a single, triple and RBI ground out in the first to lead 2-0, and manufacturing a leadoff single into another run in the third.

Ben Whetstone put the Bears (6-8) on the board with a solo homer in the seventh, and Missouri State got the tying run on base for two at bats in the ninth before USM closer Garrett Ramsey induced a pair of ground outs for the save.

MSU's Logan Wiley (3-1) pitched seven innings for the second time this week, yielding four hits, one walk and three earned runs. He struck out four, with only two of USM's hits coming after the first inning.

The Bears stay on the road for a 6 p.m. Tuesday contest at No. 12 Oklahoma State.