Missouri State University’s baseball team secured a series sweep over Little Rock by winning both games of a doubleheader on Saturday at Hammons Field. The Bears posted victories of 7-5 and 9-4, improving their season record to 7-4 while Little Rock fell to 6-5.
Curry Sutherland was instrumental in the offensive effort, driving in five runs across the two games. Caden Bogenpohl also made significant contributions, scoring five times as Missouri State hit a total of five home runs during the doubleheader.
In the first game, Missouri State scored in each of the first four innings and maintained their lead for a 7-5 win. Bogenpohl started the scoring with a 435-foot home run, and Gabe Roessler added a solo homer later in the second inning. Charlie Carter contributed an RBI double, and Sutherland had an RBI single as part of a five-run start.
Little Rock responded with a three-run homer in the third inning. Max Knight answered with his own solo shot for Missouri State, followed by another run on a Roessler sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to give the Bears a 7-3 advantage.
The Trojans narrowed the gap to 7-4 in the fifth before Brock Lucas left after pitching five innings and earning his first win for Missouri State. Relief pitchers Charlie Spoonhour, Jason Schaaf, and Knight allowed only one unearned run over four innings despite an hour-long rain delay during the eighth inning.
Knight moved from left field to pitch in the ninth with two runners on base and one out. He picked up his second save of the series even after giving up an RBI single with two outs. This marked Knight’s ninth career game where he both homered and pitched.
Missouri State matched its season high with three home runs in this game and set a new mark by drawing ten walks.
In game two, Sutherland tied his career high by driving in four runs. Starting pitcher Owen Slater allowed two runs over seven innings—his longest outing—to help complete the sweep.
Sutherland began scoring with a two-run homer in the first inning. After Little Rock tied it with their own home run in the third, Sutherland put Missouri State back ahead with an RBI single following Bogenpohl’s walk and stolen base. Taeg Gollert later scored from second on a wild pitch to make it 4-2.
Missouri State loaded the bases without any outs in the fourth inning and scored through sacrifice flies from Jax Ryan and Sutherland, another run on a wild pitch, and one more during a double steal attempt that allowed Bogenpohl to score from third base. Bogenpohl equaled his career best by drawing four walks and crossing home plate three times.
Bergman opened up further distance with his fourth home run of the season at the start of the fifth inning for a 9-2 lead. Little Rock managed four singles in their final at-bat but could only add two more runs before Missouri State closed out their victory.
