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Our purple Bears (7-12) take on the maroon Bears (5-13) of Missouri State tonight at 6:30, and tomorrow at 3 pm at Hammons Field in Springfield. This will be the 4th and 5th games of the 8 game road trip for UCA.

Here's the link to the live stat the next 2 games:
http://www.missouristatebears.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml?SPSID=59241&SPID=6480&DB_OEM_ID=13800&LIST_SPORT_ID=M_BASEBALL

Series:
Missouri State is 2-3 all-time against Central Arkansas, with the first meeting coming in 2008. The Bears split a four-game set with UCA that year and lost 4-3 in 10 innings last season in Springfield

Bears lose 14-5 in 3/23 game....

UCA 5-7-2
MSU 14-19-3

Ethan Harris leads Bears at 2 for 4 with a HR...Zach Dickson adds a HR and 2 RBIs...

Pitchers had 7 BBs, 1 WP and 6 KOs....gave up 1 HR and 5 doubles...

MSU pitchers struck out 11 and had 10 ground outs but walked 5 with 2 WPs...Luke Voit led Maroon Bears with 4 for 5, a HR and 5 RBIs...

http://www.missouristatebears.com/ViewArticle.dbmlSPSID=59240&SPID=6480&DB_OEM_ID=13800&ATCLID=204914765

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Missouri State baseball team posted a season-high 19 hits, including four-hit performances from Travis McComack and Luke Voit, on the way to a 14-5 win over Central Arkansas Tuesday evening at Hammons Field.

McComack reached base safely in all six trips to the plate, adding a walk and hit by pitch to his four hits, while scoring three times and driving in a pair. Voit reached five times and drove in five runs, finishing a triple short of the cycle and scoring four times.

McComack, Kevin Medrano and Voit all doubled as part of a four-run first inning that put the Bears ahead for good. Voit hit a solo homer in the third to make it 5-0, and UCA’s Zack Dickson put the visitors on the board with a two-out, two-run homer in the fourth.

Missouri State added a run with three singles to open the bottom of the fourth, the last a Medrano RBI hit, and McComack’s second double of the game put the Bears ahead 8-2 in the fifth.

Central Arkansas got two runs back with a one-out double in the sixth, and Ethan Harris bombed a two-out solo homer in the seventh to pull the visitors within three at 8-5.

The top of the MSU lineup struck again in a six-run seventh, loading the bases with no out with two singles and an error on a sacrifice attempt. Beau Stoker hit an RBI single, Voit hit a two-run single, Tyler Ryun had an RBI base knock and Curt Courtwright drove in the final two Bears with a double into the left field corner.

Sophomore Mike Kickham (3-2) left after four innings, allowing two runs and striking out six against no walks. He was credited with the victory despite pitching just four innings in the start, taking advantage of a clause in the rule book allowing starters to earn a win without throwing five frames if it is predetermined that at least three pitchers will be used in the game.

Pierce Johnson threw 2.2 innings, Blake Barber went 1.1 without allowing a hit and Sean Toler retired the side in order in the ninth.

Missouri State improved to 6-13, while UCA fell to 7-13.

The series concludes at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Um, were they just using the first inning as Wild's bullpen session for today?
Why would a guy who is our usual Friday starter and who's thrown back-to-back complete games and a combined 239 pitches be throwing in any midweek game?

And what is going on with our pitching staff this year?
Last year we had five guys with ERAs under 5. This year 2.
Last year we had eight guys with ERAs under 6. This year 3.

I know Reece has been hurt, but he had a phenomenal .227 bavg against last year. This year he's at .335.

Same with the hitting.
Last year 9 guys hit .290 or better on the season. This year 5. Our leading hitter is a true freshman!

Weird stuff going on. Midweek games don't mean much, but giving up 19 hits to a 5-13 team (before yesterday) isn't going to win you many/any games.

Yeah, it was Wild's bullpen session, and he was scheduled to start and throw 1 inning, which he did. So he was going to throw hard one way or the other yesterday, whether it be on the game mound, or the bullpen mound. I'm ok with that.