Season Statistics

SPRINGFIELD – Indiana evened the weekend series with the Missouri State baseball Bears Saturday afternoon with a 12-3 victory at Hammons Field.

The Hoosiers (3-6) jumped on MSU early with their first seven batters of the game reaching safely in a five-run first.

IU's Matthew Ellis made it 7-0 in the second with a two-run homer before the Bears (5-5) broke through for a run in the third when Drake Baldwin drew a bases-loaded walk, though a double play ended a promising inning for the home team.

Indiana added single runs in the fifth and sixth frames before Ellis tagged a three-run homer to center in the seventh on the way to a 3-for-5, seven-RBI day.

Missouri State added two runs in the eighth, getting an RBI double from Cam Cratic and run-scoring ground out from Mason Hull, his 20th RBI of the young season, for the final margin.

The Missouri State bullpen was forced to get 26 outs after the Hoosiers chased starter Jared Viertel in the first, with freshman Ty Blecha shouldering the largest load at 3.2 innings. Eric Loomis fanned three in 1.1 innings and Caden Wilson struck out a pair in a scoreless ninth.

The series concludes with a noon Sunday game at Hammons Field.