Feb. 16, 2015

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - For the second-consecutive week to begin her career, Missouri State freshman third baseman Chelsea Thomas has been named Missouri Valley Newcomer of the Week honor, the league office announced on Monday (Feb. 16).

Thomas was inserted into the clean-up spot in the lineup and proved her mettle in the role by leading the Bears in hits (5), home runs (2), runs batted in (6) and total bases (11) on the weekend. She had a .786 slugging percentage for the weekend, nearly double her closest teammate.

Thomas became the second MSU freshman to crush two home runs in a game this season when she single-handedly beat Eastern Michigan on Saturday. She had a career-high three hits in the game, including the two home runs, and drove in three of the four runs in the win.

Her first RBI of the weekend came in the opening game of the tournament with the Bears' first sac fly of the season. Then in the second game on Friday, she had a two-RBI single in the first inning to put MSU in front of Penn State early and later drew a walk. In Saturday's first game, she had another hit and drew a second walk against the Nittany Lions.

Missouri State (6-4) heads to the Pelican State for five games beginning with a doubleheader at McNeese State (7-3) on Friday beginning at 4:00 p.m. The Bears then conclude the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational with games in Lafayette against host Louisiana-Lafayette and Iowa on Saturday and play the Hawkeyes again on Sunday.

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