SPRINGFIELD – A three-run homer by Jaden Rolffs in the bottom of the seventh and a seven-inning gem by Bears starter Logan Wiley lifted Missouri State (6-5) to a 5-1 win over visiting Oral Roberts at Hammons Field Tuesday.
Rolffs accounted for two of Missouri State’s six hits on the afternoon. His leadoff double in the second ignited MSU’s first rally which was followed by an RBI double by Blake Mozley and later a sac fly by Ben Whetstone to give MSU an early 2-0 lead.
Wiley was nearly perfect from there, as ORU scattered just two singles and a fifth-inning solo home run by Joshua Cox off the MSU starter before he gave way to Trey Ziegenbein who pitched a 1-2-3 eighth. Hayden Juenger closed things out for the Bears with three strikeouts in the ninth.
For ORU (6-10), Cox’s homer, his first of the season, made it a 2-1 game at the time to give the visitors a glimmer of hope in the fifth. But Wiley closed out the inning with a clutch strikeout of Alec Jones. The Golden Eagles also got the leadoff hitter aboard with a single by Anthony Martinez in the sixth, but Wiley pitched around it, fanning Caleb Denny to end the frame.
Wiley finished with six strikeouts, a walk and four hits allowed to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Evan Kowalski (3-1) took the loss for ORU. He pitched four innings and surrendered four hits, two walks and an earned run while striking out one. He led a string of six Oral Roberts pitchers who combined to walk six and strike out seven.
Also highlighting the afternoon for Missouri State was senior Jack Duffy who extended his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games on his final at-bat in the eighth. Blake Baldwin and Geha also reached base four times for the home side.
Wednesday’s scheduled home game against Kansas at Hammons Field will not be played due to expected adverse weather conditions in the Springfield area. The Bears will now turn their attention to a three-game series at Southern Miss, Friday through Sunday in Hattiesburg.
Please visit MissouriStateBears.com or follow @MSUBearBaseball on Twitter for additional updates throughout the season.
