By ISU Sports Information
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Illinois State baseball team gave up 18 hits in six innings as Missouri State earned a 17-5 run-rule win over the Redbirds Friday night at Hammons Field.
Missouri State (33-19, 6-13 MVC) broke the game open with an eight-run third inning in which it strung together seven hits. A six-run fifth inning for the Bears put the game away for good.
In the bottom of the first inning, Missouri State’s Alex Jefferson and Jake Burger delivered back-to-back doubles to score the game’s first run.
The Redbirds answered right back in the top of the second inning. Sean Beesley made it to second base on a throwing error by the Bears’ shortstop, and two batters later, Jean Ramirez drove in Beesley to tie the game, at 1-1. But the game wouldn’t stay tied for long; the Bears plated two runs in the bottom of the second on a single from Matt Fultz.
The Bears started the third inning with consecutive triples on their way to an eight-run inning. David Meade gave up five hits, walked one batter and hit another in the inning before he was pulled for Jeffrey Barton. The Bears led 11-1 after three innings.
Illinois State got a run back in the fourth inning when Blake Molitor tripled to right field and later scored on a ground out to cut the Missouri State lead to 11-2. The Bears went back up by 10 runs in the fifth after Spencer Johnson hit a solo home run to left field. The Bears scored two more runs in the inning and led 14-2 after five.
Illinois State scored three runs in the sixth inning, but that would be the last of the offense for the Redbirds as they dropped their second-straight game to the host Bears.
Meade went just 2.2 innings, while giving up 11 earned runs on nine hits. Owen Miller and Molitor both had two hits apiece to pace the Redbird offense.
The Redbirds will look to avoid a sweep series tomorrow with Jacob Hendren on the mound. First pitch at Hammons Field is set for 2 p.m.
