SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Illinois State baseball team allowed six Missouri State runs in the first two innings before mounting a ninth-inning rally that fell short, resulting in an 8-6 loss in a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament game that ended early Saturday morning at Hammons Stadium.
The No. 8 seed Redbirds' first setback in three tourney games dropped their overall record to 15-39 and set up a 3 p.m. Bracket B rematch with the top-seeded Bears (40-16) for the right to advance to the 7 p.m. championship game.
Missouri State got off to a fast start against ISU starter Colton Johnson (1-5), scoring four runs on three bases-loaded walks around an RBI single by Normal West graduate Alex Jefferson.