NORMAL, Ill. – Missouri State got six strong innings from Jared Viertel and Blake Mozley hit a go-ahead single in the seventh to give the Bears a 2-1 victory at Illinois State in the final game of the series Sunday afternoon at Duffy Bass Field.

Viertel allowed just seven runners in the game, but four came in the second inning on two singles and two walks as the Redbirds (21-30, 11-13 Missouri Valley Conference) took a 1-0 lead.

Missouri State (17-22, 7-13) evened the score in the fourth when Drake Baldwin hit a leadoff single and scored on a two-out base knock from Cam Cratic.

Viertel (1-5) did not allow a Redbird beyond first base after that, and the Bears took the lead in the top of the seventh when Mason Hull singled to lead off as part of his 3-for-4 game, stole second, and scored on Mozley's two-out base hit for a 2-1 lead.

Trey Ziegenbein pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth for the Bears, and Hayden Juenger earned his fourth save while striking out a pair in the ninth.

Baldwin went 2-for-4 in the game to extend his hitting streak to 20 games, just the ninth streak of that length in school history.

The Bears host Valparaiso in the final series of the regular season, scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, May 20-22 at Hammons Field. Start times on Thursday and Saturday are 11:30 a.m. with a 10 a.m. doubleheader on Friday.