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WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State's run in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament came to an end on a chilly Friday evening at Eck Stadium to the No. 8 Missouri State Bears by a score of 6-4.

The loss eliminated No. 4 seed Wichita State (26-33) from the MVC Tournament, while top seed and eighth-ranked Missouri State (44-10) advances to the MVC Championship game on Saturday vs. No. 3 seed Bradley.

Mikel Mucha and Tanner Kirk led the Shocker offense by going 3-for-5 at the plate, while Mucha added a double and a run scored. Ryan Tinkham was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

WSU starting pitcher Jeb Bargfeldt lasted 4.1 innings in which he gave up four runs on six hits and five strikeouts. John Hayes came out of the bullpen and allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 4.1 innings.

Eric Cheray was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs batted in, while Tate Matheny was 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored. Dylan Becker went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and three runs scored. Jordan Knutson got the start for MSU and allowed three runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and four walks in 5.2 innings. Bryan Young recorded his 13th save of the season after pitching the last 1.2 innings.

Troutwine gave the Shockers an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with an RBI single to center. Missouri State would answer with a pair of runs in the top of the third on an RBI ground-rule double from Matheny and an RBI single from Cheray to take a 2-1 lead.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the home half of the fourth, Tinkham lined a single to left to drive in a pair of runs, giving WSU a 3-2 lead. The very next half inning MSU responded with a pair of runs to retake the lead, 4-3. Spencer Johnson and Cheray each recorded RBI singles in the inning.

An inside the park home run from Missouri State's Dylan Becker gave the Bears a 5-3 lead in the top of the sixth. MSU added another run in the seventh on a bases loaded walk.

The Shockers nearly came up with last inning heroics after Zach Reding came up with a huge pinch hit RBI double in the bottom of the ninth that closed the gap to 6-4. WSU still had runners on second and third with just one out, but could not cash in.