Life in the Valley

Missouri State improved to 15-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference (27-17 overall) with a 13-6 win at Murray State in the weekend series opener between the teams. The Bears kept themselves within 2 games of first-place Indiana State, who beat Bradley, 6-1, earlier Friday to go 17-2 in the conference on the back of 18 wins in 19 games overall.

While it’s now May, Missouri State took care of Murray State (25-22, 11-9) thanks to the help of a snowman – an 8-run 4th inning that gave the Bears a 10-1 lead. Mason Hull’s 3-run homer capped the scoring, while 9th-place hitter Dylan Robertson contributed a 2-run double. Zack Stewart went 4-for-6 for Missouri State, while Cam Cratic went 3-for-5 with 2 runs and 4 RBIs. Brandt Thompson started and pitched 5 innings to get the win, as the Bears stuck Murray State starter Jacob Pennington for 10 earned runs in just 3 2/3 innings. Pennington had entered the weekend 4th in the MVC in ERA.

In one bright spot for the Racers, Murray State RF Dustin Mercer won a personal head-to-head battle with Missouri State CF Spencer Nivens. Mercer led Nivens, 68-67, in hits for the season, leaving them the top 2 in The Valley coming in. Mercer increased his total to 70 with a 2-hit day while Nivens went 0-for-3, but the latter drew 2 walks and scored twice, and will gladly take the win.

Missouri State has scored at least 9 runs in each of its last 4 games – all wins.

Valparaiso 9, Southern Illinois 8: The Beacons withstood SIU’s 9th-inning rally to hold for a 9-8 win in the series opener at Valpo. SIU had led, 4-0, entering the bottom of the 2nd inning, but the Beacons retorted for 6 runs, including a Ryan Maka grand slam, to take the lead for good. Both teams tallied in the 7th and 8th innings, leaving SIU down, 9-6, entering the top of the 9th. Cole Christman doubled in a run to make it 9-7, then Steven Loden’s sacrifice fly got the Salukis within 1. But pinch-hitter Zack Jensen struck out and Jack Rigoni flied out to end the game.

Maka, Ryan Tucker, and Kyle Schmack all had 2 hits each for Valparaiso (17-19, 8-11). Griffin McCluskey worked 6 innings to get the win while Grant Jablonski earned the save. SIU lost despite hitting 4 homers – 2 by Kaeber Rog, and one each from Pier-Olivier Boucher and Bennett Eltoft. SIU fell to 25-21, 11-8, 6 games behind 1st-place Indiana State.

Evansville 13, Illinois State 3: The Purple Aces (27-18, 10-9) scored early and often to soundly defeat the Redbirds, 13-3. Evansville 3B Eric Roberts led off the game with an inside-the-park home run, then delivered another UE run with a 5th-inning single. Chase Hug hit a grand slam in the 2nd inning then added a 2-run single in the 4th for a 6-RBI day. Kip Fougerousse also had 3 hits for the Purple Aces. Nick Smith pitched 7 innings to get the win, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts via 95 pitches.

Illinois State fell to 17-25, 6-13.

UIC 13, Belmont 8: The Flames scored 6 runs in the 4th inning to knock out Bruins starter Will Pryor and went on to 13-8 victory. UIC managed 8 runs on 8 hits against the Belmont starter – a needed pick-me-up for Flames starter Brandon Bak, who also only lasted 3 2/3 innings. Reliever Peter Newton had his back, however, finishing the game to earn the victory. Cole Conn and A.J. Henkle each drove in 3 runs for UIC (20-21, 7-12), while the red-hot Charlie Szykowny went 1-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Szykowny entered the weekend 5th in The Valley in batting average (.350), tied for 2nd in HRs (14), and tied for 2nd in RBIs (46).

Max Blessinger had 3 hits and 2 RBIs for Belmont (21-25, 6-13).