KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After rallying for victories in their final at-bats in each of their last two games, the Missouri State Bears seized control in the first inning and never looked back in an 8-3 victory over Iowa Wednesday afternoon at the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy.
In MSU’s first game in Kansas City, Mo., since 1973, John Privitera set the tone for the afternoon with a bunt single on the game’s first pitch, before Jeremy Eierman blasted a two-run homer to right-center field two pitches later to stake the Bears to a lead they would never relinquish.
MSU (10-5) utilized a balanced attack that included at least one hit from all nine hitters in its starting lineup, including a 2-for-4 day from Jack Duffy. The sophomore’s hot shot to shortstop plated a third first-inning tally, before his RBI single in the third turned a one-run advantage into a 4-2 MSU cushion. Duffy added a sacrifice that led to another score as part of the Bears’ two-run fifth, before singling to set up another scoring chance in the seventh.
Logan Wiley (2-2) made sure the early lead stood, striking out a career-high seven hitters in his first starting assignment, while limiting the Hawkeyes (8-6) to three runs over 5 2/3 innings. After Iowa answered the Bears’ three-run first with two runs of its own in the home half, Wiley shuttered the UI offense, allowing just one hit from the second through the fifth frames.
Meanwhile, the Bears methodically added to their lead, using Landan Ruff‘s second home run in four games to make it a 5-2 game in the fourth, before Matt Brown‘s RBI double pushed the margin to four runs. A wild pitch chased Brown home from third, and Logan Geha added a run-scoring single in the seventh to cap the MSU scoring.
Jake Fromson followed Wiley with his longest outing of the 2018 season, throttling the Hawkeyes over 2 1/3 innings. The reigning MVC Pitcher of the Year allowed just two hits and struck out one, before Connor Sechler closed out the victory with a scoreless ninth.
In addition to Duffy’s key effort, Brown reached base safely in four of his five trips to the plate, scoring twice and driving in a run. Eierman also extended his MSU season-best hit streak to eight games with his second long ball of the spring.
Hawkeyes starter Jack Dreyer (0-1) suffered the loss in his first collegiate start, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits in his 2.1 innings. Austin Guzzo led UI with a single and a pair of walks, and Matt Hoeg hit his first home run of the season leading off the game for the Hawkeyes.
Up next, the Bears will travel to Stillwater, Okla., for two games Saturday (March 17), beginning with a 1 p.m. contest against Seton Hall. MSU will then square off against Oklahoma State in the nightcap at 6 p.m. at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.
