SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Indiana State baseball clinched its first series win against Missouri State on the road since 2007 with a 5-2 win over the Bears Sunday afternoon at Hammons Field.
 
Right-hander Javin Drake (2-2) faced the minimum and retired 13-straight MSU batters before issuing a walk in the fifth inning. Drake, a Wilton, Iowa native, tossed a season high 8.1 innings and struck out five before exiting in the ninth.  
 
Aaron Beck continued his hot streak, putting Indiana State (24-12, 11-5 MVC) ahead in the top of the first with a liner to left field scoring Josue Urdaneta and Max Wright who drew walks from MSU's Jared Viertel.
 
The Sycamores added to their lead in the seventh with two more runs on two hits. Dominic Cusumano led off the frame with a walk before Joe Kido entered as a pinch runner. Kido would use his speed to go all the way from first to home as Ellison Hanna II doubled to the gap in right.
 
Wabash Valley native Jordan Schaffer tallied an RBI single to center to bring home Hanna a batter later. Schaffer added an insurance run in the ninth when he brought home Brian Fuentes who singled to open the inning.
 
MSU's Ben Whetstone hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to pull the Bears to within three runs. Missouri State would go on to load the bases with two outs before Connor Fenlong was able to get the final out on a ground ball to second.
 
ISU outhit the Bears 8-5 led by two-hits from both Beck and Schaffer.
 
Viertel took the loss for the Bears, falling to 0-5 on the year. The right-hander went six innings and struck out six while allowing three earned runs.
 
UP NEXT
Indiana State returns to Bob Warn Field for a weekend series with Southern Illinois beginning on Friday.
 
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