SPRINGFIELD – Behind a six-run third inning and shutdown relief performances by Trey Ziegenbein and Reed Metz, Missouri State beat a top-10 Arkansas team for the second straight season, this time by an 8-4 final over the seventh-ranked Razorbacks Tuesday at Hammons Field.
Nick Rodriguez hit his second leadoff home run and sixth overall on the season for an early 1-0 lead for the Bears in front of 2,780 fans, Arkansas (30-11) scored twice in the second for a 2-1 advantage, and it was all Bears after that beginning with the big third.
After placing runners on the corners with one out, Zack Stewart tied the game with an RBI single, Taeg Gollert drove in two with his second double of the contest, Cam Cratic hit an RBI single and Anthony Socci capped it with his fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot for a 7-2 lead.
Tyler Tscherter allowed an earned run on four hits in three innings in the start, and Ziegenbein (2-3) retired all nine Razorbacks he faced over the next three frames and before leaving with an 8-2 lead after Cody Kelly’s sacrifice fly gave the Bears another run in the fourth inning.
Arkansas scored two unearned runs in the seventh to make it 8-4, and Reed Metz entered with two outs on the board and finished the game on the mound with 2.1 hitless frames and two strikeouts.
Missouri State’s first top-10 win of the season was also its first over a ranked opponent since beating No. 4 Arkansas on May 3 of last season in Fayetteville.
The Bears are scheduled to play a 3 p.m. Wednesday at Central Arkansas before hosting Valparaiso April 28-30 at Hammons Field.
