SPRINGFIELD– The Missouri State Bears baseball team has now won three consecutive series after Spencer Nievens delivered a walk-off, solo home run in the bottom of the 10th to edge Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 4-3.
The Bears and Cougars split Friday’s double header, setting up a rubber match for Sunday to determine the series.
The Cougars raced out to a 3-0 lead after the first two innings, but it evaporated by the bottom of the 8th. Cody Kelly launched a 2-run home run in the home-half of the 5th, before Taeg Gollert cranked a solo blast in the 8th.
All four runs for MSU came off home runs.
In the bottom of the 10th, Nievens stepped to the plate as the first batter of the frame. On the very first pitch he clubbed a no-doubt bomb over the right field wall to cement the team’s one-run victory.
The Bears will face Southeast Missouri State in a two-game midweek series on Tuesday, March 14 and Wednesday, March 15.
The game on Tuesday will be a home game for MSU. The game Wednesday will be on the road at SMS.
