April 11, 2015 Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Missouri State softball team (22-17, 10-4) rode a pair of big early-game offensive outbursts and pitched a two-hitter in both halves of a doubleheader sweep over Loyola (12-24, 2-11) at Killian Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Bears won game one, 6-1, and completed the day with a 6-0 victory in the nightcap.
A day full of special events included MSU softball player Allie Alvstad returning to Killian Stadium for the first time since receiving a bone marrow transplant in December. An acute myeloid leukemia survivor, Alvstad was presented the Missouri Valley Conference Most Courageous Award before the doubleheader.
"There couldn't have been a single better day than this throughout the season," said head coach Holly Hesse. "We have had some really good days, but this is by far has been the best day so far. Any time Allie is with us it is a good day no matter what happens on the field. To be able to play well and show our past coaches that the history, tradition and success that they established during their time here continues, is really what we wanted to display today and I think we did that really well."
Freshman Erika Velasquez Zimmer put on a show both offensively and with her glove. On the day, she had five hits including her first career home run, a grand slam in game one. She scored three runs over the course of the twin bill. On defense, she made a catch a split second before crashing into the center field fence and robbed a home run with a leaping grab at the wall.
Senior Rebecca McPherson drove in runs in both games with a total of four RBI on the day. She hit a run-scoring double and had a two-RBI triple among her three hits.
Fellow senior Chelsea Jones fired her third complete game shutout in as many starts over the past 12 days. In game two, she held the Ramblers to two hits and struck out four. At the plate, Jones had four hits with a RBI and a run scored.
Game 1 - Missouri State 6, Loyola 1
The Bears turned a Loyola error into a run in the bottom of the first. Mary Stephens reached on the fielding error and was replaced at first by Velasquez Zimmer on a fielder's choice. McPherson drove her in with a double to left-center as MSU jumped in front.
Elena Gambill began the second inning with a single through the left side. Consecutive hits by Braxton Coil and Olivia Roark loaded the bases. After a fielder's choice put out at home, Velasquez Zimmer came to the plate with the bases loaded. She sent the first pitch on a line well over the right field fence for the grand slam, her first career home run. It was the first grand slam hit by a Bears with March 12, 2013.
Freshman Hailee Vigneaux extended her hitting streak to four games with a leadoff single up the middle in the third inning. She moved into scoring position on Coil's second hit of the game and both runners advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Olivia Roark. Stephens drew a walk to load the bases, but MSU was held off the board in the frame.
Chelsea Jones doubled down the right field line with one away in the fourth. Chelsea Thomas drew her second walk of the game. A botched fielder's choice by the Ramblers loaded the bases, but for the second-straight inning, MSU left three aboard.
Loyola broke up Missouri State pitcher Erin Struemph's bid for a no-hitter with a two-out solo home run in the fourth.
Freshman Kaitlin Beason drew a one-out walk in the fifth inning. Velasquez Zimmer picked up her second hit of the game to continue the rally. With two down, a throwing error by Loyola allowed the Bears to tack on an unearned run.
Junior Jessie Van Es pitched the final two innings in relief and allowed just a single while striking out one. Struemph pitched the first five innings recording four strikeouts with just one hit given up.
Game 2 - Missouri State 6, Loyola 0
Stephens sparked a first inning rally with a leadoff single in game two. Pinch runner Ali Trickey moved to second on Velasquez Zimmer's single through the right side. Both runners stole bases to move into scoring position. McPherson cleared the bases with a triple into the right field corner. Chelsea Jones drove in McPherson with a single up the middle and she advanced to second on Gambill's walk. Erin Duewel singled to center to push home the fourth run of the inning.
After the Ramblers broke up Chelsea Jones' no-hit bid in the fourth, the Bears started another rally in the bottom of the inning. Roark singled up the middle to begin the frame. Stephens drew her second walk of the game and Velasquez Zimmer reached on a bunt single to load the bases. McPherson drew a walk to push in a run, but the Bears' bid for a big inning was thwarted.
Duewel drilled a solo home run to begin the fifth inning to conclude the scoring on the day.
Missouri State will go for its second-consecutive series sweep in the series finale at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday. The game will mark the end to an eight-game home stand and conclude Rally for Allie weekend. Fans will be admitted free to the game and the Bears will host a free clinic following the game for youth ages 8-13.
#MSUBears
