SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State scored in each of the first five innings Saturday but couldn’t hold a 7-2 lead as visiting UIC rallied with a six-run eighth to claim a series victory with a 9-8 win at Hammons Field.
After the Flames (22-11, 7-5 Missouri Valley Conference) took a 2-0 lead in the first, MSU starter Jason Schaaf didn’t surrender another run through five innings, allowing the offense launch four home runs to build a 7-2 advantage after the fifth.
Caden Bogenpohl opened the game with his third leadoff home run of the season, Tyler Epstein tied it with an RBI single in the second, and Taeg Gollert homered in the third for a 3-2 advantage.
Bogenpohl collected his 13th round-tripper of the season and second multi-homer game in the fourth inning after Epstein drew a leadoff walk to give the Bears (15-19, 4-8) a 5-2 advantage.
Nick Rodriguez then began the fifth with a solo homer to center field, and an error and walk set up an RBI ground out by Logan Chambers for the 7-2 lead.
UIC began the seventh with a single and a double, but reliever Brendan Beaver limited the damage to a single run to keep a 7-3 advantage.
The Flames swung the game in their favor in the eighth, scoring six times on seven singles, including three that didn’t leave the infield, to go ahead 9-7.
Zack Stewart led off the ninth with his 14th long ball of the season, and the Bears had the tying run on first when the game ended.
The Bears stay home for a matchup with in-state rival Missouri at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Several promotions are in place for that game, including a maroon out, foam finger giveaway and FSL Night.
