In a dramatic relief appearance, Tyler Charlton took the mound in the top of the eighth inning with Missouri State and New Mexico State locked at 5-5 and the Aggies loading the bases with no outs. Charlton responded by striking out the side to escape the jam, setting the stage for a 7-6 Bears victory on Sunday that secured a Conference USA series sweep.
Unlike the previous two games of the series, Sunday’s contest was a nail-biter from start to finish. Missouri State jumped out to a 2-0 lead through the first four innings, but surrendered three runs in the top of the fifth to fall behind for the first time. The Bears answered in the bottom of the frame, scoring three runs of their own to reclaim the lead. Two of those runs came on a wild pickoff throw to second base by New Mexico State, allowing both Bears runners to score.
After Charlton’s escape act in the eighth, Missouri State’s offense took over and pushed across the final two runs of the game, securing the much-needed sweep.
With just three games remaining in the regular season, Missouri State now heads to Kennesaw State for their final series. The team will remain in Kennesaw, as the Conference USA Tournament will also be held there. If the Bears can sweep Kennesaw State, they will lock up a top-three finish in the CUSA standings, guaranteeing a first-round bye in the conference tournament and providing a tiebreaker advantage over lower seeds if records are tied.