Missouri State scored six times in the seventh inning to snap a 2-2 tie, then relied on the right arm of Sam Perez to claim a 9-2 decision over Illinois State Thursday in the opening contest of the two clubs’ three-game Missouri Valley Conference series at Hammons Field.
Jeremy Eierman’s three-run double capped the Bears’ big inning, as the freshman shortstop posted his second-consecutive four-RBI game to help MSU (32-19, 5-13 MVC) notch its third-straight victory to open its final MVC regular-season series of the season. The Bears capitalized on four walks and a hit batsman to post their sixth rally of at least six runs in one inning this season. Spencer Johnson drew one of those free passes to force home the go-ahead run, and Justin Paulsen made it a two-run game with a sacrifice liner to left.
But Eierman, who went 5-for-5 in Tuesday’s win at Arkansas, kept his hot bat going by launching a double off the left-center field wall with the bases loaded to stretch the Missouri State lead to 7-2. Aaron Meyer brought in another tally with his base hit to right, and Paulsen plated the final MSU run of the day with his two-out double in the eighth.
Perez (6-0) followed the decisive rally with 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, striking out a season-high nine batters in his Bears single-season-record 32nd outing of the year. The senior took over for MSU starter Dylan Coleman with two on and one out in the fifth and promptly issued a walk to load the bases. But the Branson native came up with a key strikeout of Owen Miller, before Meyer saved at least two runs with a diving stop on a liner by Sean Beesley to squash the Redbirds’ two-out threat.
Coleman was forced to work his way out of trouble throughout his 4.1 inning stint after handing out six walks and allowing eight ISU hits. But the freshman right-hander came up big in three consecutive frames, stranding the bases full of Redbirds in each instance. Eierman’s diving catch on a Daniel Dwyer pop-up in shallow left field ended ISU’s second-inning scoring threat, before Coleman recorded one of his six strikeouts to close the third. He also worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, before the visitors came up empty with the sacks full for the fourth inning in a row in the fifth.
MSU struck first with a pair of early runs, using a leadoff walk and a steal of second by Paulsen to jump start its offense in the second. Ground balls by Blake Graham and Eierman produced the game’s first run, before hits by Eduardo Castro and Hunter Steinmetz to open the third ultimately led to a second run and a 2-0 Bears lead.
ISU erased a 2-0 deficit in the fourth thanks to a leadoff double from Brian Rodemoyer, one of three Dwyer hits on the day and a run-scoring single by Beasley. After back-to-back walks to Joe Kelch and Ryan Hutchinson, the Redbirds once again had the bases loaded up against Coleman, who coolly ended the rally by inducing a fly ball to center off the bat of Jean Ramirez.
In all, the Redbirds (17-33, 7-11 MVC) would strand 19 baserunners, going 0-for-7 on the day with the bases loaded.
After missing the last three games due to injury, Jake Burger returned to the Bears’ lineup with a 2-for-4 day that included an RBI groundout in the third and a double to center to start the sixth. Johnson also enjoyed a productive day at the plate, reaching base safely three times in five trips to the plate, including the 206th hit of his MSU career that led to the final run of the contest in the eighth.
In addition to his critical defensive gem to end the fifth, Meyer logged a 2-for-4 day at the dish for MSU, which improved to 20-8 at Hammons Field this season.
With the win, Perez improved to 18-2 for his Missouri State career, and surpassed former teammate Zach Merciez (31 appearances in 2015) in taking over the top spot on the club’s single-season appearances list.
Jake Sale (2-2) shouldered the loss for ISU by allowing two runs on one hit and four walks, after Redbird starter Steve Heilenbach turned in 5.0 strong innings. The right-hander gave up just two runs on four hits, while striking out five Bears.
Dwyer led ISU’s 13-hit attack with a 3-for-5 day out of the leadoff spot, and No. 9 hitter Blake Molitor chipped in with a three-hit day as well.
The Bears and Redbirds continue their series Friday (May 20) evening with a 6:35 p.m. game, before wrapping up the regular season with a 1:05 p.m. contest Saturday.
