Game 6 of State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Tournament

WICHITA, Kan. - Missouri State used an 11-run sixth inning to come back from a 7-2 deficit and eliminate Southern Illinois from the 2010 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament with the 14-10 win on Wednesday at Eck Stadium.

Southern (28-29) had been in control behind senior left-hander Jimmy Cornell, who was pitching on three day's rest. Cornell only gave up three hits and two runs in five innings where he matched his season-high with seven strikeouts.

The Saluki bullpen and defense provided no help as MSU (20-33) put the game away with the 11-run sixth. SIU matched its season-high with four errors.

SIU senior Ryan Bradley (0-5) drew the loss as he gave up six runs off four hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning pitched during the sixth. Missouri State reliever Grant Gordon (4-2) threw six innings to get the win for the Bears.
The Salukis were out-hit 16-12 on the day. Brian Bajer, Nick Johnson and Michael Stalter all had two hits on the day while Chris Murphy had three. Murphy had three RBIs, Stalter and Bajer each drove in two runs while Johnson scored four times Wednesday.

Behind a four-run fourth, the Salukis held a 5-2 lead. Bear starter Aaron Meade didn't help his cause in the inning when he walked three batters and one of those came with the bases loaded. Stalter drove in one run in the second and fourth innings and Murphy had a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

The Salukis tacked on two more runs in the sixth off a RBI double from Bajer and a RBI single from Murphy to go up 7-2.
Cornell was replaced after the fifth and Missouri State came out in the sixth and loaded the bases with no outs. The Bears capitalized on the opportunity and scored 11 runs in the inning off 11 hits, two walks, two sacrifice flies and a Saluki error.

Left fielder Keenen Maddox handled SIU with his two-out grand slam and the Bears scored eight runs with two outs in the inning for SIU.

The Salukis scored three runs in the eight to cut the MSU lead down to 13-10. Murphy, Blake Pinnon and Tony Lepore all had RBI singles in the inning.

However, that would not be enough and MSU added on one more run in the bottom of the eighth to close out the scoring.
MSU advances to play the loser of today's 7:30 p.m., game (Wichita State/Evansville), Thursday at 12:30 p.m.