March 28, 2015 Box Score
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Missouri State softball team (15-16, 4-4) came back from single run deficits on three different occasions in a doubleheader split at Indiana State (10-17, 4-4) on Saturday. MSU scored five unanswered runs in a 5-1 game one victory, but a late unearned run handed a 3-2 loss to the Bears in game two.
Junior Erin Duewel hit a double and scored a run in each game for the Bears. She drew two walks in game one.
Senior Chelsea Jones had three hits on the day. She went 2-for-3 in game one with two RBI and a run scored. She also threw out a runner at the plate from right field in the victory. In game two, she hit her second double of the day and drew a walk.
Freshman Erika Velasquez Zimmer extended her season-best hitting streak to four games with a pair of hits in game one. She drove in a run and scored twice in the win.
Sophomore pitcher Erin Struemph took the ball in game one. She allowed a single run on just five hits and struck out six batters. Chelsea Jones got the start in game two and struck out three.
Game 1 - Missouri State 5, Indiana State 1
In the bottom of the third inning, the Sycamores inched in front 1-0. The Bears' deficit would have been worse, but right fielder Chelsea Jones cut down the runner at the plate to end the inning.
Velasquez Zimmer extended her hitting streak to four games with an infield single to begin the fourth. She advanced all-the-way to third as the ISU right fielder dropped Rebecca McPherson's deep fly ball. Chelsea Jones drove in the first run with a bunt single and advanced to second when no ISU player covered. Jones would come in to score on the next play as ISU vacated the plate after a rundown.
Erin Duewel began the fifth inning with a double to left-center. She moved to third on a fly out to center and scored on Velasquez Zimmer's second hit in as many innings. Velasquez Zimmer stole second and scored on McPherson's double off the wall in left-center. Chelsea Jones traded place with McPherson on a double of her own to right-center to extend the Bears' advantage to 5-1.
Game 2 - Missouri State 2, Indiana State 3
The Sycamores loaded the bases and scored the first run of the game on a questionable call in the bottom of the first inning. MSU pitcher Chelsea Jones buckled down to strand the bases loaded and limit the damage to just a single run.
Duewel began the MSU third inning with her second double of the day. She advanced to third on Molly Fields' sacrifice bunt. Elena Gambill drew a walk and pinch runner Olivia Roark stole second to put two Bears in scoring position. Mary Stephens flew to left field to drive in Duewel with a sacrifice fly to tie the game.
Chelsea Jones hit a one-out double in the fourth inning. Sara Jones was inserted as a pinch runner, but was thrown out at the plate on Madison Jones' single ending the inning.
After Indiana State retook the lead in the fifth inning, Stephens began the Bears' sixth with a single through the left side. Pinch runner Hailee Vigneaux stole second base. With one down, consecutive walks to McPherson, Chelsea Jones and Kaitlin Beason pushed home the tying run.
Indiana State tallied an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth and held on for the 3-2 win.
The Bears wrap up the series and the seven-game road trip with an 11:00 a.m. CT game at Indiana State on Sunday. MSU returns home on March 31 with a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader versus SEMO at Killian Stadium to begin a nine-game home stand.
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