Redbirds

Springdale, AR - The Springfield Cardinals battled back from an 8-1 deficit to tie the game in the 8th, but eventually fell to the Naturals 9-8 on a game winning hit by Whit Merrifield in the 9th inning. For the second straight night, the Cardinals began the scoring in the 1st inning. Greg Garcia had a one out single and moved to third on a single by Jermaine Curtis. Naturals' starter Sugar Ray Marimon uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Garcia to score give the Redbirds a 1-0 lead.

Springfield, MO - Springfield scores twice in the 9th on a pinch-hit RBI double by Jamie Romak and a game winning bases loaded walk to Oscar Taveras to beat NW Arkansas 5-4 and sweep the Naturals in the series. The Cardinals had righty Richard Castillo on the mound looking to rebound after a tough start against Michael Mariot of the Naturals. Springfield wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as the Redbirds scored two first inning runs on a Xavier Scruggs two-run homer to take a 2-0 lead.

NORMAL, Ill. -- Missouri State earned its fourth Missouri Valley Conference baseball series victory in five tries Saturday, outscoring Illinois State 5-2 after the fifth inning in a 6-3 victory over the Redbirds at Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Ill.     The Bears got to 10 games over .500 for the first time this season at 27-17, and moved into second in the league at 8-5 with Creighton’s victory at Wichita State. Missouri State trails CU by a game and a half for the MVC lead, and sits one half game ahead of WSU and Southern Illinois in third.

Springfield, Mo. - Springtime in the Ozarks means warmer temperatures, storms, flowers blooming and the crack of the bat at Hammons Field. The Springfield Cardinals are getting ready to throw out that first pitch of the season. For some, a Springfield Cardinals game means... "A lot of it is the atmosphere. A lot of good fans, a lot of loyal fans for the team," said Cardinals fan De Bizzell. For others... "Being there with friends and family, just hanging out watching the Cardinals beat up some people," said Andrew Klump, an avid Cardinals fan. Whether it will be your first game or your seventh season watching Springfield Cardinals baseball, the club wants to keep you coming back.

San Antonio, TX - The Springfield Cardinalsused a four-run fifth inning, three on a bases clearing triple by Xavier Scruggs, to catapult past the San Antonio Missions in a 9-5 victory to take the first two games of the series at Wolff Stadium. Adys Portillo made the start for San Antonio against big leaguer Jaime Garcia in his third rehab start, second with Springfield, coming off of a left shoulder impingement for the Cardinals. Springfield began the scoring in the first inning by plating a pair of runs with two outs thanks to RBI singles from Jamie Romak and Xavier Scruggs.

   It was a tough weekend for Missouri State and Arkansas, who both faced nationally-ranked opponents in conference play that they desparately wanted to beat to help their post-season chances.    For Missouri State, it was Illinois State, who'd just entered the national FCS (Division 1-AA) poll at number 25.  The Redbirds and Bears are both up-and-comers in the Missouri Valley Conference who hope to make the FCS expanded playoff field this season, which has been increased from 16 to 20 teams.

SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State (10-3, 2-0) got 22 points from senior Jermaine Mallett, matching a career high, and shot 63 percent from the field in the second half to hold off visiting Illinois State, 82-71, here Saturday in Missouri Valley Conference play.   Mallett was 5-for-5 from three-point range to help the Bears post a season high 10 treys. He also notched a game-high 9 rebounds in the winning effort, the Bears' fourth in a row and 16th straight at JQH Arena.   Illinois State (8-5, 0-2)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Missouri State volleyball team dropped the first two sets to visiting Illinois State Friday evening at Hammons Student Center but rallied behind a team season-high 22 kills and nine digs from freshman Olivia Brand to capture a 21-25, 21-25, 25-17, 25-16, 15-8 victory in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both schools. A lackluster first two sets saw Missouri State (8-3, 1-0 MVC) trailing 2-0 despite recording 27 kills to 20 for the Redbirds (8-5, 0-1)

Springdale, AR - Trailing 8-7 in the 9th, the Springfield Cardinals plated five runs to take a 12-8 lead and beat NW Arkansas in game three of the four-game set. For the third straight game, the Cardinals plated runs in the first inning. Kolten Wong led-off with a single, was sacrifice to second and scored on Oscar Taveras' 22nd home run of the season to give Springfield a 2-0 lead. Redbirds' starter Scott McGregor allowed just a single through the first two innings, but the Naturals struck for four runs in the 3rd. Paulo Orlando had an RBI single, a throwing error scored another, a sacrifice fly scored the third and a Kevin Kouzmanoff RBI single was the fourth and final run of the inning making it 4-2. NW Arkansas added three more to their tally in the 4th as Yem Prades hit a ball to center field that Oscar Taveras lost in the sky to score a run, an RBI single from Whit Merrifield scored the second run and Merrifield scored from second on a fielder's choice to make it 7-2 after four innings.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Missouri State University has finalized its 2012 football schedule, an 11-game slate that will feature five home games, trips to two FBS opponents and a new league opponent. Seventh-year head coach Terry Allen and the Division I FCS Bears begin the season with road games at Kansas State on Sept. 1 and Louisville on Sept. 8. The Bears are 0-2 all-time against the Big XII Wildcats, a team coming off a 10-3 campaign and Cotton Bowl appearance. This will be the first meeting between the Bears and Louisville.