Missouri State managed just three runs as Tulsa swept both games of a doubleheader, Wednesday, at MSU Softball Field.Tulsa sophomore Jordan Kinard no-hit the Bears in a 1-0 eight inning contest and the Golden Hurricane won the second game of the twinbill 5-3. The softball Bears are now 23-15 overall.
Kinard’s no-hitter spoiled a solid effort by MSU senior Melissa Porche (14-11), who pitched her 19th complete game of the season. Porche struck out nine Tulsa batters and allowed just six hits. Back-to-back two-out singles in the Tulsa eighth scored pinch-runner Lauren Menke. Menke was running for Lauren Lindsay whom Porche hit with a pitch. It was the fifth start by Porche this season in which the Bears have been shut out.
Missouri State managed just one base runner in the contest. Junior Jessie Smith walked in the first. Tulsa retired the next 26 MSU batters, before Junior Jana Shewmaker’s one-out walk in the second inning of the second game. Sophomore Lauren McGinley recorded the first Bears’ hit of the day with a single to center leading-off the third. McGinley (7-3) started the second game for the Bears before yielding to Porche with two outs in the fifth.
Tulsa scored three runs in the first inning of the second game and added two more unearned runs in the fifth, when the Golden Hurricane took advantage of two MSU errors.
Smith drove home the Bears’ first two runs of the game in the third. Her two-out single to left scored Arbon, who ran for McGinley and freshman Christa Gammon, who went 2-for-3 at the plate. The Bears loaded the bases in the fifth despite just one hit, but Tulsa relief pitcher Jackie Lawrence was able to get MSU senior Michelle Armentrout to ground out to short stop to end the inning.
Missouri State threatened again in the seventh. Porche walked and Gammon singled to left to start the frame and both runners advanced when freshman Jenna Schwark flied out to center. Freshman pinch hitter Ashley Knehans singled to right field but was thrown out at second while attempting to stretch it into a double. Porche scored and Gammon adavnced to third on the play, but the threat and game ended when Smith ground out to the pitcher.
MSU will play Southern Illinois in a three-game Missouri Valley Conference weekend series, Saturday (April 26) and Sunday (April 27). The two teams will face each other in a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday. Start time for both days is 12 p.m.
Former softball Bears Nora Cagwin, Barb Gaines, Diedre Shores and Kate Madden will be recoginized between games of Saturday’s (April 26) doubleheader for their selection to the MVC All Centennial Team. Current seniors Porche, Armentrout, Lacie Ballard and Carrie Roberson will be recognized before Sunday’s (April 27) contest.
