Season Stats

CONWAY, Ark. – Missouri State used an 11-run fifth inning to break open the series finale at Central Arkansas Sunday, cruising to a 19-2 win in the team's highest-scoring game since May 2017.

Spencer Nivens went 4-for-4 with six RBI, driving in at least one run in each of his first five plate appearances, Mason Hull homered twice and drove in five runs, and freshman Hayden Moore reached base five times and scored four runs.

Missouri State (2-1) collected 20 hits – including nine for extra bases - for the first time since 2012, scoring the final 18 runs after spotting UCA (1-2) a 2-1 lead.

Moore doubled on the first pitch of the game and scored on a Nivens single before Central Arkansas got a pair of solo homers in the second to lead 2-1.

Those two home runs would be the only damage done against starter Dan Merrill (1-0), who completed five innings and struck out six while giving up four hits. Riyan Rodriguez, Parker Johnson and Trey Ziegenbein combined for four innings of scoreless, two-hit relief.

A Nivens sac fly drove in Will Duff for a 2-2 tie in the third, and Hull and Dakota Kotowski each belted solo homers in the fourth to make it 4-2.

The floodgates opened for Missouri State in the fifth, with the Bears plating 11 runs for their first double-digit inning since April 2017. Hull hit his second homer of the game, while Drake Baldwin, Hull and Nivens each collected two hits in the frame for a 15-2 lead.

Nivens added a two-run homer in the seventh, Mason Greer followed with a solo shot for MSU's first back-to-back homers since April 2019, and Missouri State scored on a double play in the ninth to end the scoring.

Missouri State returns to action Tuesday, Feb. 22, with a 3 p.m. game at Oral Roberts.

NOTES: Hull's two-homer game was the first for a Bear since April 5, 2019, and the second of his career…Baldwin, Hull and Nivens became the first MSU players with two hits in an inning since May 12, 2018…MSU score 10-plus runs in an inning for the first time since May 1, 2017…Missouri State's 19 runs were the most since the Bears tallied 19 at Southern Illinois on May 6, 2017…Hull matched his career high of RBI for the second straight game…Missouri State hit five home runs for the first time since April 5, 2019…The Bears' 20 hits were their highest total since getting 22 against Bradley on May 24, 2012.