April 22, 2012

Box Score

The Missouri State softball team (20-21, 8-11) got a 1-0 eight-inning win with a stellar one-hit shutout of the league-leading UNI Panthers (33-12, 17-2) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on Sunday afternoon. Senior pitcher Natalie Rose completed her 17th game of the year and shut out the Panthers for 16 innings over the course of the weekend.

"It all starts in the circle and Natalie threw her third phenomenal game of the week," said head coach Holly Hesse following the win. "We backed her up with great defense and Duck(worth) made several good plays at third. I am excited about how we played all weekend against a first-place team."

Rose struck out six UNI hitters and didn't allow a hit over the final seven innings. It was her fifth shutout of the season and grew her career total to 612 strikeouts. Rose out-dueled UNI's Jamie Fisher, who allowed six hits to the Bears.

Heather Duckworth led the Bears offense with a 2-for-4 day. She drove in the winning run in the eighth inning on her second single of the game.

The Bears were able to get runners aboard in each of the first three innings. In the top of the first, Caitlin Chapin lined a two-out single up the middle. Stacia Boeckstiegel singled to left to lead off the second inning. Pinch runner Ciara Flau was sacrificed to second and Lauren Eisenreich drew a walk. But UNI was able to get out of the inning unscathed. Kirstin Cutter reached on an error in the third.

Eisenreich led off the fifth inning with a single up the middle. After being sacrificed to second by Stevie Pierce, Cutter drew a two-out walk. Both runners were left stranded as the Bears were unable to manufacture a go-ahead run.

In the sixth inning, Heather Duckworth lined a one-out single to left field. She was left stranded there after a questionable call on a ball hit by Kerri Cunningham.

Eisenreich again reached base to lead off the seventh. She drew her second walk of the game. She moved to third base after back-to-back sacrifice bunts by Pierce and Raeven Replogle. Cutter grounded to second base and was called out on a bang-bang play to end the inning.

Missouri State would go to extra innings for the second straight day. In the top of the eighth, Ashley Brentz led off with a single up the middle. Chapin sacrificed her into scoring position. The next hitter, Heather Duckworth, laced a single up the middle to plate Brentz with the go-ahead run, breaking the scoreless tie.

The last time MSU had an extra-inning shutout win was in 2009 against Tennessee Tech at the Frost Classic.

MSU will head to Wichita to play a single game to complete the season series with the Shockers on Wednesday before returning to Killian Stadium for the final home stand of the season. Senior weekend is set for April 28 and 29 against Indiana State. Fans will be admitted free on Fan Appreciation Day on April 29 at 12:00 p.m.