SPRINGFIELD – Jackson Holmes tossed a complete-game three-hitter and the offense reached safely 22 times in seven innings Saturday as Missouri State earned the 11-1 run-rule victory to even the series with ULM at Hammons Field.
Holmes (1-2) scattered three hits and two walks across seven innings of work, striking out seven in his best start as a Bear. It was MSU’s first complete game on the mound since Jason Schaaf shut out Belmont on May 12 of last season.
The Bears (3-6) strung together three consecutive two-out doubles from Caden Bogenpohl, Taeg Gollert and Jake McCutcheon in the third inning, followed by a Nick Rodriguez RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
ULM (5-4) answered with a run in the fourth, and MoState countered with four in the fifth, scoring on another McCutcheon RBI double, Carter Bergman sac fly, Curry Sutherland hit by pitch with the bases loaded, and Max Knight walking to force another run home for 7-1.
Missouri State continued to capitalize on free passes in the sixth, with six consecutive batters reaching via three hit batters and three walks, with Logan Fyffe, Sutherland and Knight forcing in runs.
Then in the seventh, Bergman’s double brought home the game-ending run for the 11-1 win.
Bogenpohl collected three hits from the leadoff spot, and McCutcheon scored a career-high four runs. Gollert, and Rodriguez also notched two hits.
The rubber match is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.
