SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Interstat) — Jason Schaaf delivered a masterful complete-game shutout, and the Missouri State Bears’ offense erupted for 12 runs on 11 hits to complete a three-game series sweep of the Sam Houston Bearkats with a 12-0 victory in seven innings Sunday afternoon and evening at Hammons Field.

The game, organized by Conference USA, was effectively decided in the first inning. Missouri State sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs on four hits, capitalizing on a wild pitch, a balk and timely hitting to seize immediate control. Logan Fyffe led off with a single, Taeg Gollert drove him in with another single, and Curry Sutherland and Bobby Atkinson added RBI singles to stake the Bears to a 4-0 lead before Sam Houston could record three outs.

That early outburst was more than enough for Schaaf. The right-hander dominated from the start, allowing just two hits and striking out seven over seven innings. He faced only three batters over the minimum, needing 89 pitches to secure the mercy-rule shortened win. His performance marked a stark turnaround from his previous outing, a loss at Dallas Baptist on March 29.

Sam Houston’s only threats came in the first and second innings. Jeric Curtis doubled with one out in the first but was stranded at third. In the second, the Bearkats loaded the bases with two walks but failed to score. They managed just one more hit, a single by R. Franden in the third, as Schaaf retired 15 of the final 17 batters he faced.

Missouri State continued to add on, scoring a run in the second on an RBI single by C. Kragel. The Bears then broke the game open with a six-run fourth inning, sending 11 men to the plate. The key blow was a two-run double by Sutherland, his second and third RBIs of the game. Atkinson followed with a two-run single, also bringing his RBI total to three. Two of the runs in the inning were unearned due to a Sam Houston error.

The Bears added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Pinch-hitter Adyn Schell drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth, and Gollert notched his second RBI with a single in the sixth, scoring Fyffe, who had three of Missouri State’s 11 hits.

Sam Houston used five pitchers, with starter T. Hickman bearing the loss after allowing seven earned runs in three-plus innings. Relievers Zak Johnson, Mason Murphy and Collin Aloisio each pitched an inning and allowed one run.

The most important part of the game was the first inning, where Missouri State’s aggressive offense combined with Sam Houston’s defensive miscues to build an insurmountable lead, allowing Schaaf to pitch with overwhelming comfort.

With the win, Missouri State improved to 21-9 overall and completed a dominant series in which they outscored Sam Houston 36-13. The Bears have won 10 of their last 11 games. Sam Houston fell to 14-17, having lost four straight and six of their last seven.

Missouri State next travels to face Missouri on Tuesday. Sam Houston returns home to host Houston on Tuesday.