SPRINGFIELD – Spencer Nivens launched the first pitch he saw leading off the 10th inning well over the right field wall Sunday afternoon to complete a 4-3 comeback win for Missouri State and secure the series victory against visiting SIU Edwardsville at Hammons Field.

Nivens' team-leading sixth homer of the season was the first walk-off shot for the Bears (9-5) since Drake Baldwin did it on April 6, 2021 against Drury, and capped a comeback from an early 3-0 deficit as the MSU pitching staff fired eight scoreless innings after the Cougars (10-4) hit three RBI doubles in the first two frames for the lead.

Hayden Minton settled in after yielding the three early runs and retired the final 16 hitters he faced with a career-high 10 strikeouts in seven innings. Scott Youngbrandt (2-2) allowed two hits in three shutout frames to complete the win.

Cody Kelly broke up SIUE's no-hitter in the fifth inning with a two-run homer, Taeg Gollert tied it at 3-3 with a leadoff solo shot in the eighth, and Nivens finished it off with MSU's third round-tripper of the contest.

The Bears are back in action Tuesday at 2 p.m. against SEMO at Hammons Field.