St. LOUIS. – Missouri State limited one of the nation’s top statistical offenses to five runs on eight singles Tuesday afternoon but missed opportunities late in the game cost the Bears a chance at the win in a 5-3 setback at Billiken Sports Center.
Saint Louis (15-1), picked to win the Atlantic 10 Conference this season and ranked in the top three nationally in average, on-base, slugging and runs, became the first team to score on the Bears (9-6) in the opening frame this season with two runs thanks to an error and two singles.
Dylan Leach responded with a two-run homer in the second, his fifth of the year, for a 2-2 tie, but the Billikens converted three consecutive two-out runners in the third inning into the go-ahead run for a 3-2 lead.
Saint Louis took advantage of two wild pitches and a sacrifice fly for its first run in a two-run fifth, scoring the other on a double steal to lead 5-2.
Missouri State loaded the bases with one out in the sixth and made it 5-3 with a Jahlani Rogers RBI ground out, but the Bears stranded eight runners over the final four frames as SLU consistently escaped those jams to maintain its lead.
MoState used five pitchers on the day, with Eric Loomis, Tyler Tscherter and Kaleb Thomas combining to keep SLU off the scoreboard after the fifth inning.
Leach recorded the only multi-hit game for the offense, and Nick Rodriguez extended his hitting streak to 15 games, the longest by a Bear since Drake Baldwin hit safely in 21 straight in 2021.
The Bears continue their 11-game road trip this weekend with a series at Kansas State (9-6). First pitch Friday is set for 6 p.m., followed by games at 4 pm. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
