Missouri State Powers Past ORU, 15-1

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- Missouri State smashed six home runs in a 15-1 rout of Oral Roberts, Sunday at Hammons Field, giving the Bears a sweep of the three-game series.

Missouri State (11-16) opened the scoring when Travis McComack led off the first with a home run off ORU starter Bryce Smolen (2-2) for a 1-0 lead.

ORU (11-13), which never led in the series, wasted a scoring opportunity in the third. Colby Price led off with a single and Joey Winiecki and Nick Baligod followed with bunt singles to load the bases. But Tyler Saladino struck out and Jared Schlehuber grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.

Ninth-place hitter Keenen Maddox belted a three-run home run to straightaway centerfield in the fourth inning to give the Bears a 4-0 lead.

Missouri State broke it open in the sixth. Back-to-back doubles by Tyler Ryun and Ben Stoker to start the inning made it 5-0, and Aaron Conway belted a two-run homer as the Bears grabbed a 7-0 advantage.

Missouri State tacked on four more runs in the seventh before Baligod smacked a solo home run in the eighth to make it an 11-1 affair.

The Bears, however, batted around in the bottom of the eighth, scoring four runs on a pair of two-run homers for a 15-1 lead.

Mike Kickham (4-3) earned the win for Missouri State, tossing 7.0 shutout innings and striking out eight.

ORU managed nine hits. Baligod and Price each had two hits for the Golden Eagles.

The Golden Eagles visit Texas-Arlington, 6:30 p.m., Tuesday.