Season Statistics
SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State fell behind visiting Southern Illinois 6-0 Friday at Hammons Field on the way to an 8-2 series-opening loss to the Salukis, just the second setback for the Bears in their last 10 outings.
SIU (32-13, 9-4 Missouri Valley Conference) scored two runs in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before
Dakota Kotowski drove in MSU's first run with a ground out to second in the bottom of the sixth.
The Salukis added two more in the eighth and the Bears (22-20, 5-8) scored their final run on a
Mason Greer RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.
Spencer Nivens led the MSU offense with three hits and a walk for his team-best 17th multi-hit game of the season, while
Drake Baldwin extended his streak of reaching safely to 30 games with a ninth-inning single.
Mason Hull and
Will Duff each doubled for MSU's lone extra-base hits.
On the mound,
Adam Link (4-5) went four innings in the start, while
Eric Loomis was the bullpen highlight by striking out all five Salukis he faced.
Game two of the series is at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Â
#BearsUnite
Â