Missouri State added another chapter to its string of early-season comebacks Sunday, rallying from a four-run, seventh-inning deficit to pull out an 8-6 victory over Iowa to complete a three-game sweep of the Hawkeyes at Hammons Field. The Bears scored three times in the seventh, then scored the tying and go-ahead runs as part of another three-run rally in the eighth to log their eighth-consecutive win.
Jake Burger homered for the 10th time in 2016 and drove in two of his three runs on the day during the Bears’ late scoring spree. Hunter Steinmetz (3-for-3) reached base safely in all five of his plate appearances, doubling twice before laying down a critical bunt single as part of MSU’s game-clinching eighth-inning rally.
Missouri State (17-2) erupted late after freshman Jordan Hovey provided a spark off the bench, belting his first career home run – a two-run blast – with the Bears trailing 6-2 in the seventh. Alex Jefferson reached on a hit-by-pitch to start the inning, before Hovey lofting a 1-1 offering Luke Vandermaten over the wall in right to draw the Bears back to within two runs.
Jefferson, who homered earlier in the contest for the Bears’ first run of the day, turned in a strong performance as well, going 2-for-2 with a career-high three runs scored to help pace the MSU offense. The junior started the Bears’ decisive eighth-inning rally as well, lining a one-out base hit to right, before Hovey drew a walk and Steinmetz laid down a perfect bunt up the third base line to load the bases.
A passed ball allowed Jefferson to trot home with the tying run before Burger lifted a sacrifice fly to right to bring in the go-ahead tally. Justin Paulsen handed MSU an insurance run with a run-scoring double, and Bryan Young closed out the win with a perfect ninth inning for his sixth save of the season.
MSU’s 10th come-from-behind win of the year came after the Bears managed just four hits against Iowa pitching over the game’s first six innings. Despite solo shots from Jefferson in the third and Burger in the fourth, the Bears struggled to move baserunners, leaving the potential tying runs on base in five consecutive innings before breaking through in the eighth.
For the third time in as many games in the series, Iowa (6-11) got on the board in the top of the first, this time courtesy of a two-out rally initiated by Nick Roscetti's line-drive single to right and subsequent misplay for a two-base error. Bears starter Andy Cheray then issued a walk to Grant Klenovich, before balking home the game's first run. After a wild pitch moved Klenovich to third, Cheray avoided further damage by getting Luke Farley to chase a third strike.
The two clubs traded runs in both the third and fourth frames, before Iowa scratched out another run on an RBI double by Roscetti in the fifth to claim a 4-2 lead. A leadoff walk, followed by a Joel Booker double paved the way to the Hawkeyes’ two-run seventh that ultimately handed the Bears their largest deficit since suffering a 12-4 setback to UConn on Feb. 26.
Sam Perez (3-0) picked up the win with 4.0 innings of relief, allowing two runs on two hits while fanning five Hawkeyes. Young notched his school-record 22nd save as a Bear and finished the weekend with either a win or a save in all three contests against Iowa.
Booker led Iowa’s offense by going 3-for-5 with three runs scored, while Roscetti added a two-hit performance. Tyler Radtke (0-1), one of six relievers employed by UI on the day, suffered the loss after allowing the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth.
Up next, the Bears will continue their longest home stand of the season with a midweek non-conference contest against Arkansas State at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday (March 22). MSU will then conclude the nine-game home stretch with a three-game set against Minnesota next weekend (March 25-27).
