Game Day: MU @ Missouri State

■ The Bears are having a down year, having gotten off to the worst start (5-13) in their history.

■ Bears host Big 12 foes Kansas and Missouri at Hammons (missouristatebears.com, 4/12)

The Missouri State baseball team (12-19, 1-5 Missouri Valley) hosts a pair of Big 12 schools this week with Kansas (19-13-1, 3-5-1) coming to Hammons Field Tuesday and Missouri (18-13, 3-6) making a visit Wednesday. First pitch for both games is 6:30 p.m. MSU has had the most success of any MVC school against the Big 12 the past two years, leading the league in wins (4) and winning percentage (.500).

■ Fritz the bat: Braves rally for the sweep (pjstar.com, 4/12)

A day after winning its first Missouri Valley Conference series under second-year coach Elvis Dominguez, the Bradley baseball team proved its victories were no fluke.

Trailing by a run in the bottom of the ninth Sunday, Bradley completed its rally with senior Matt Fritz’s game-winning single to left field. The Braves won 9-8 to sweep the Missouri State at O’Brien Field.

■ Baseball Bears lasso Oklahoma State (OzarksFirst.com) has a video report of the OSU-MSU game

■ Oral Roberts baseball swept by Missouri State (Examiner.com)

And the Missouri State offense didn't have to work much at all in this game. They never hit anything more than a single in all 9 innings. One example of how easy they had it was in the first inning. Centerfielder Aaron Conway reached first base via the walk as the 2nd batter of the game. A pair of wild pitches to the next batter advanced Conway to 3rd. Then catcher Luke Voit got the first RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field. Overall, Missouri State took advantage of the 6 walks and one hit batter they earned while coasting their way to a 5-1 win.

■ Missouri State has a few pitchers on the BoydsWorld.com Pitch Count Watch

■ Missouri State Bears Facebook page

On Friday night we will be handing out maroon Crocs to the first 30 guests who purchase a ticket at Hammons Field.

■ Medrano keeps hot bat for bears (News-Leader.com)

As Missouri State's offense struggled through the first six weeks of the season, Kevin Medrano just kept hitting line drives.

Even as the team batting average slumped into the .250 range, Medrano stayed well above .300.

■ Freshmen shine on MSU mound (News-Leader.com)

The kids did it for Missouri State's baseball team.

Freshmen Clay Murphy and Grant Gordon combined to strike out 15 Oklahoma State hitters and the Bears rallied with three runs in the eighth inning for a 7-5 victory Wednesday night before 687 fans at chilly Hammons Field.