Missouri State completes sweep of SIU

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Seton Hall

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Missouri State scored six runs in the fifth inning to beat the Southern Illinois baseball team 8-3 on Sunday afternoon at Hammons Field. The Bears swept the series and handed SIU its fifth-straight defeat.

For the third-straight game, SIU (25-26, 8-10 MVC) out-hit the MVC-leading Bears (33-14, 16-2 MVC). The Salukis hit .295 in the series against a Missouri State pitching staff that leads the Valley in almost all the major pitching statistical categories. But today, SIU left 12 men on base in the loss.

"We couldn't get the big hit," SIU head coach Ken Henderson said. "We had some guys on to give us opportunities. We left the bases loaded. We had a decent day on offense but we couldn't get that big hit to extend the lead or get us back in the game."

SIU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Drew Curtis led off with a single, and Jared Kengott drove him home. The Salukis loaded the bases and added another run on a Connor Kopach RBI walk

The game turned in the fifth inning. In the top of the inning, Logan Blackfan tried to tag up at first base on a ball that hit off the right-center field wall and caromed away, holding Alex Lyon to a single. With runners on the corners and one out, Lyon was picked off and Blackfan was thrown out trying to score, ending the scoring threat.

Then, in the bottom of the inning, Missouri State rode the momentum to a six-run inning. A one-out error was followed by a two-run double and then a two-run homer. The Bears added another two-run homer in the inning to push their lead to 6-2.

"We made a ton of mental mistakes," Henderson said. "We made three base running mistakes. We made a bad mistake on the mound. They're a good ball club, and it's a tough environment in their yard. If you make mistakes, you're not going to win."

Trey McDaniel came in and was outstanding in relief. With his previous career long being 2.1 innings, McDaniel finished the fifth, pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings and nearly got out of the eighth. With two outs, MSU's Jeremy Eierman—projected to be a first-round pick in the MLB draft—hit a towering two-run homer to set the final score at 8-3.

"We intentionally pushed him an extra inning or two," Henderson said of McDaniel. "When we get into the MVC tournament, he may have to extend out. He's throwing well, so now is the time. We were trying to get Eierman to chase something there and carefully walk him, and (McDaniel) just left one in the middle of the plate. He will learn from that. He's been great for us."

Kengott, making his 10th start of the season, led the offense with a 4-for-4 day, a career best. He became just the third SIU player with a four-hit game this season, joining Alex Lyon and Connor Kopach.

"He got an opportunity and competed and battled," Henderson said. "He had a good weekend. That will get him more opportunities."

The Salukis play Saint Louis in Sauget, Ill., on Tuesday before closing the regular season with a three-game home series against Bradley, starting Thursday night.

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Team Stats

Jared Kengott

Drew Curtis

Nikola Vasic

Connor Kopach

Players Mentioned

Logan Blackfan

Drew Curtis

Jared Kengott

Connor Kopach

Alex Lyon

Trey McDaniel

Players Mentioned

Logan Blackfan

Drew Curtis

Jared Kengott

Connor Kopach

Alex Lyon

Trey McDaniel

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