ROLLA, Mo. – Buoyed by a big day from first baseman Lance Portwood (Edmond, Okla./Edmond Santa Fe), Missouri S&T claimed the rubber game of its three-game series with McKendree Monday afternoon as it topped the Bearcats 7-4 at the S&T Baseball Field.

Portwood became the ninth player in Miner history and first since 2012 to record a five-hit game, with four of those hits coming in innings in which the Miners scored.  He started his day with a first inning double after S&T had plated a run, as Tyler Bodenstab (Independence, Mo./Truman) led off the frame with a triple and scored on Trevor Karbowski (Standish, Mich./Sterling Central)'s ground out.

His other three hits in the scoring innings had Portwood in the middle of the rallies.  In the third, after McKendree took the lead on a two-run single by Jake Kline, he got an infield hit with the bases loaded to tie the score; S&T would take the lead moments later on a sacrifice fly by Nick Ulrich (St. Louis, Mo./Vianney).

The Bearcats scored runs in the fourth and sixth innings to take the lead before the Miners tied things up in the bottom half of the sixth on a ground out by Bodenstab that scored Matt Reschke (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South), who opened the inning with a double.

Portwood, who recorded his third hit in the fifth, doubled with one out in the seventh and scored on a bloop double by Tyler Johnson (Union, Mo./Union) to put the Miners back in front 5-4.

Following a scoreless eighth inning on the hill by Johnson, the Miners tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth.  A one-out error that allowed Lucas Swindle (Weldon Spring, Mo./Lutheran-St. Charles) to reach base, followed by a hit by Bodenstab and walk to Reed Brown (Rogers, Ark./Heritage) loaded the bases.  Karbowski reached on a fielder's choice to score Swindle, then Portwood completed his five-hit afternoon with a single to center that brought in Bodenstab.

Brown pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts to preserve the win for Blake Stephens (Chillicothe, Mo./Chillicothe), who entered the contest in relief in the fourth and allowed just three hits in his 3 1/3 innings of work.

The Miners outhit the Bearcats (1-5) 10-9 on the afternoon, with Bodenstab also getting two hits.  S&T finished the day with five extra base hits and also stole three bases.

Missouri S&T, who improved to 3-5 with Monday's win, will return to the field Tuesday to host Lindenwood in a noon doubleheader.