The Missouri State softball team opened the 2007 season on Saturday with three wins in the University of Central Arkansas Lead-Off Tournament in Conway, Ark. The Bears defeated Jackson State in the tournament opener, 3-2, Arkansas Pine-Bluff, 11-3, in five innings, and host Central Arkansas, 8-0, in five innings.
Junior third basemen Michelle Armentrout provided all the offense the Bears needed to defeat Jackson State in the opener, as she laced a bases loaded triple in the bottom of the second inning to score sophomores Jessie Smith and Brooke Kempker and senior Katie Martin. Smith and Kempker both drew walks and Martin hit into a fielder’s choice after sophomore Elysha Swider opened the inning with a single. Swider and Armentrout led the way offensively in the game with two hits apiece, with Kempker and Smith each adding a single for the Bears’ six hits.
Junior Melissa Porche was dominant on the mound, striking out 13 Jackson State batters. Porche recorded a strikeout in every inning and finished the game by striking out the side in the top of the seventh. She gave up two earned runs on five hits in the complete game performance.
In game two against Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Missouri State again struck early with three first inning runs, as the Bears used RBI doubles from catcher Lacie Ballard and Swider to build a 3-0 lead. The Bears broke the game open in the second inning, scoring five more runs behind hits from freshmen Dusti Foster and Jodie Shead, and centerfielder Martin, with Smith and Ballard adding RBIs in the frame. A three-run fourth inning capped the Bears’ scoring as Porche smashed a two-run homer and Ballard tripled and scored on junior Carrie Roberson’s RBI groundout. Missouri State pounded out 10 hits in the game, including two apiece from Martin, Smith, Porche, and Ballard. Porche and Ballard both drove in two runs, and Smith, Swider, and Roberson each added an RBI.
Freshman starter Megan Ramsey picked up her first collegiate victory on the mound, as she struck out seven while giving up two earned runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings. Fellow freshman Lauren McGinley finished the game, allowing a run on five hits in 2 1/3 innings.
The Bears again scored three runs in the first inning against Central Arkansas in MSU’s final game of the day. Martin and Smith led off the game with back-to-back doubles, with Armentrout adding a single, Porche an RBI sacrifice fly, and Swider an RBI groundout to put MSU up 3-0 after one inning. The Bears notched single runs in the second and fourth innings with Smith picking up the RBI in both innings. A three-run fifth inning ended the game as Swider, McGinley, and Foster crossed the plate.
Missouri State notched 11 hits in the game, including two-hit performances from Martin, Smith, Armentrout, and Shead. Swider, sophomore catcher Jen Carr, and Foster each added singles. Smith drove in three runs, with Porche, Swider, and Shead each adding a run batted in.
Porche improved to 2-0 on the season as she picked up her second victory of the day on the mound, striking out nine UCA batters. She surrendered only one hit in five innings as the Bears played error-free defense for the third consecutive game.
Missouri State will take on Arkansas Pine-Bluff in bracket play on Sunday at Farris Field in Conway, Ark., starting at 12 noon. The winner will advance to the championship game, which will start at approximately 4 p.m.
