NORMAL, Ill.– Illinois State's three-run sixth inning was the difference in Friday's Missouri Valley Conference series opener at Duffy Bass Field, with the Redbirds handing Missouri State a 4-2 loss after the Bears sent the go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth inning.

Illinois State (19-29, 9-12 MVC) broke open a pitcher's duel in the sixth after the first four batters reached safely to make it 2-1. The Redbirds added another run on a rare sacrifice fly double play, then took advantage of a two-out error for the 4-1 advantage.

The Bears (16-20, 6-11) stranded multiple runners in four separate innings and 12 in the game, leaving the bases loaded in the seventh before threatening again in the ninth.

Blake Mozley's pinch-hit double opened the ninth for MSU, and pinch runner Landen Wood scored on a passed ball with two out before Mason Hull walked and Drake Baldwin singled to extend his hitting streak to 17 games. Dakota Kotowski then grounded out sharply to shortstop to end the game.

ISU got a solo home run from Ryan Cermak in the second to lead 1-0, and Ben Whetstone doubled and scored on Jack Duffy's bunt in the third for a 1-1 tie. Whetstone was also awarded his Master's of Business Administration on Friday.

Duffy collected his 200th career hit with a fifth-inning single and Logan Wiley (4-4) allowed six hits and three earned runs in his 39th career start, moving him to eighth in school history in games started.

The teams square off for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.