Bears Host SIUE at Hammons; Series Shifts to Friday & Sunday

Friday, March 10

Springfield, Mo.

1 p.m.

Missouri State University

SIUE

Bears Host SIUE at Hammons; Series Shifts to Friday & Sunday

March 09, 2023 | Baseball

Live Stats Listen Game Notes Roster Card

By: MSU Athletics Communications

Missouri State vs. SIUE
Schedule	Friday, March 10 vs. SIUE, 1 p.m. Friday, March 10 vs. SIUE, 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 1 vs. SIUE, 1 p.m.
Location	Springfield, Mo.
Site	Hammons Field
Listen Live	Varsity Network App
Live Stats	Sidearm Stats
Rosters	Roster Card
Missouri State	MSU Game Notes \| Baseball Home Page
SIUE	Baseball Home Page
Promotions	$3 tickets March 10

Starting 9
1) After a midweek rainout at Central Arkansas, Missouri State (7-4) is home for a three-game series with SIU Edwardsville (9-2) at Hammons Field. The Bears take on the Cougars in a 1 p.m. doubleheader Friday followed by a single game at 1 p.m. Sunday.

2) Missouri State leads SIUE 26-20 though the schools took a lengthy break in the series between 1986 and 2010. Since the resumption, the Bears are 7-1 against the Cougars with each game in Springfield.

3) The Bears have continued their slugging ways this year after ranking in the top 17 nationally in 2022 in home runs and slugging percentage with 4.03 extra base hits per game. This season, the Bears rank 24th in homers and 10th in doubles with 5.45 extra base hits per contest. MSU, NC State, Nebraska, Stetson, Florida and Virginia Tech are the six teams with at least 20 HR and 35 doubles, and the Bears have played the fewest games of that group.

4) Missouri State has homered in every game this season and 29 straight dating to May 7 of last season, blasting 68 dingers in that span. The Bears have also tallied three or more extra-base hits in 10 of 11 games, with eight or more on three different occasions.

5) Individually, freshman Taeg Gollert ranks third in the nation with eight doubles and classmate Zack Stewart ranks 44th with six two-baggers. Nick Rodriguez is the Missouri Valley Conference leader with 20 hits, and Spencer Nivens paces the league with a .826 slugging percentage.

6) The Bears are coming off their fourth NCAA Regional appearance in the last seven tournaments, catching fire late in the season to capture the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and advance to the Stillwater Regional. MSU finished 31-29 overall in 2022 and belted 31 home runs in nine conference and NCAA Tournament contests.

7) Senior second baseman Mason Hull and sophomore outfielder Spencer Nivens earned preseason all-MVC honors this season. Hull is also a preseason third-team All-American according to Collegiate Baseball, while Nivens was a named a Freshman All-American by the publication last season. Nivens hit for MSU's first cycle since 1998 on Feb. 24 against Central Arkansas.

8) Missouri State has 23 new players on its roster this season with three ranked among D1Baseball's top 50 impact transfers. Pitchers Jake Eddington (8th) and Hayden Minton (38th) and catcher Cody Kelly (49th) appear on the list.

9) Head coach Keith Guttin ranks third among active coaches and 15th overall with 1,347 career wins. Among active skippers, Guttin trails only Danny Hall of Georgia Tech (1,359) and Minnesota's John Anderson (1,349).

Series History
Missouri State leads SIUE 26-20 though the schools took a lengthy break in the series between 1986 and 2010. Since the resumption, the Bears are 7-1 against the Cougars with each game in Springfield.

Last Time Out
Missouri State took a weekend series at Arkansas State March 4-5, sweeping a Saturday doubleheader before an 8-7 loss on Sunday.
The Bears hit four solo home runs in a 5-3 victory in game one, then got 13 hits with at least one from all nine starters to win the second game 6-4.
On Sunday, ASU led 7-1 when the Bears erupted for a six-run seventh, including a Mason Hull grand slam, only to see the Red Wolves score the winning run in the bottom half of the frame.