COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Indiana State baseball rallied to score five runs in the eighth inning to tie the game, but Missouri would score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the eighth for an 8-7 victory Tuesday night at Taylor Stadium.
 
The Sycamores (26-22) flashed their leather in the opening two innings, turning a pair of double plays. Third baseman Jake Means had a hand in both, including a diving stop at the hot corner in the second inning to begin the 5-4-3 double play.
 
That defense helped jumpstart the offense as Indiana State came out in the third with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning from Luke Fegen and Max Wright. The Trees would sacrifice the runners into scoring position to allow junior CJ Huntley to pick up the RBI on a groundout to short.
 
Means would again save a run in the third when he initiated the third double play of the night to end the inning as Mizzou had a runner at third with one out.
 
Mizzou (32-20) would tie things up in the fourth inning with a leadoff solo home run from Trey Harris. UM's Alex Samples tripled in the very next at bat before a walk would put runners at the corners with no outs forcing a pitching change as the Trees went to freshman right-hander Jake Ridgway.
 
The Tigers would take the lead on a line drive hit off the glove of at third base before a balk would move runners to second and third with one out. Mizzou added another run on a groundout to second before the Sycamores would get out of the inning.
 
Roberto Enriquez stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the top half of the sixth, driving a ball to center to score a run before the Tigers turned a double play to end the Sycamore threat.
 
Three more runs would cross the plate in the fifth and sixth innings for the Tigers. Indiana State would turn a double play in the fifth but a runner would score on the play. Missouri would then take advantage of wild pitches and a failed pickoff from left-hander Brian Eddy in the sixth while tacking on a second run in the inning on a sacrifice fly to deep center to make it 6-2.
 
UM's Trey Harris would come around to score on a fielder's choice after opening the home half of the seventh with a double to the gap in left.
 
Indiana State scored five runs in the eighth inning -- all with two outs while batting around in the frame. Redshirt senior Dane Giesler walked followed by a single from Romero Harris -- his fourth of the evening. After a fly out and a strikeout, Enriquez tallied his second RBI of the day on a single through the left side.
 
Junior Luke Fegen walked to load the bases before Max Wright and Clay Dungan were each hit-by-pitch to make it a 7-5 lead for Mizzou. A costly error at shortstop would tie the game after slow chopper off the bat of CJ Huntley was thrown into the Indiana State dugout scoring two.
 
Missouri answered though in the bottom half of the eighth -- scoring on a wild pitch after loading the bases.
 
Indiana State used five pitchers in the scheduled staff day. Lefty Geremy Guerrero went three innings in the start allowing three runs. Tyler Whitbread was charged with the loss, falling to 2-3.
 
Romero Harris finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored while Roberto Enriquez and Luke Fegen each tallied a pair of hits in the loss.
 
Mizzou's Andy Toelken picked up the relief appearance win, improving to 6-2 while Jordan Gubeiman earned his first save of the season.
 
Missouri outhit the Sycamores 12-10 in a game that featured five double plays.
 
Indiana State wraps up the regular season with a three-game series at Valpo beginning Thursday before heading to Dallas for the Missouri Valley Conference Championship next week.  
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.