Powered two home runs and solid effort from the bullpen, Missouri State improved to 2-0 at the Fayetteville Regional with a 5-4 victory over Arkansas Saturday evening at Baum Stadium.

Hunter Steinmetz and Justin Paulsen led the Bears’ power surge with matching 2-for-4 nights, as each went deep against Razorback right-hander Blaine Knight (8-5) to stake the Bears to an early lead. After a two-run sixth for MSU snapped a 3-3 tie, the Bears turned to All-America reliever Jake Fromson to turn the lights out. The right-hander did just that, closing out the Bears’ second-straight one-run victory with 2.0 hitless innings.

With the victory, the second-seeded Bears (42-17) moved to within one win of clinching their second NCAA Regional title in three seasons and will face the winner of an elimination game between Arkansas and Oral Roberts at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Story-photo courtesy of MSU Athletics