SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (3/2/24) – Arkansas State baseball (9-2, 0-0 SBC) scored 12 unanswered runs to overcome a seven-run deficit and defeat Missouri State (5-5, 0-0 MVC) by a score of 14-12 on Saturday evening at Hammons Field.
 
Arlon Butts made his third start of the season for the Scarlet and Black, allowing nine runs (six earned) on seven hits and two walks over 3.0 innings pitched. Hunter Draper (1-0) entered in relief and held the Bears to five scoreless frames while striking out five batters over 5.2 innings.
 
Cason Tollett led the team in hits (3-of-5), but Wil French and Blake Burris tied for the team-high in RBIs with two apiece.
 
After a scoreless first inning, Zack Stewart put Missouri State on the board with a solo-homer to left-centerfield. Tyler Epstein added three more with a home run to the same area as the Red Wolves entered the third down 4-0.
 
A-State loaded the bases with no outs to start the inning and brought in their first run on a sacrifice fly from Burris. Tollett landed a blooper in right field for an RBI-knock, but the Red Wolves were unable to close the gap any further.
 
The Bears unloaded with five runs in the next frame, starting with an RBI-groundout from Logan Chambers. Nick Rodriguez brought in another run with a single, but it was Jahlani Rogers’ three-run blast that gave Missouri State a 9-2 advantage going into the fourth.
 
A-State nearly erased the deficit during the top frame after taking advantage of two errors by the Bears. Two runs scored on a throwing error by the third baseman while Burris and Tollett followed with a pair of RBI-singles. The duo came in to score on a dropped fly-ball in left field and capped off a six-run inning.
 
The Red Wolves tied the game after Daedrick Cail scored on a fielder’s choice, and took the lead after Dylan DeButy crossed the plate on a wild pitch. French scored on a passed ball and Burris scored on a bases-loaded walk before two more runs came in on another throwing error by the third baseman.
 
The Scarlet and Black scored 12 unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 14-9 advantage into the sixth.
 
Missouri State scored two in the ninth following a fielding error and loaded the bases with two outs. Another run scored on a walk, but Collin Maloney entered the game and forced a flyout to left field to secure the game.
 
Draper earned the win and Maloney claimed the save while Eric Loomis (0-1) took the loss. It was A-State’s first win at Hammons Field since taking a 4-1 decision on March 10, 2018.

NEXT UP
Arkansas State and Missouri State will meet in a rubber match on Sunday, March 3 at Hammons Field. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. and can be heard on 95.3/96.9 The Ticket Radio Network along with the A-State Red Wolves mobile app.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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