July 8, 2015

The 2015 Missouri State softball season was an exciting and successful campaign for the Bears. From record setting individual performances to team records set, the 2015 season had a lot to offer. Below is a look at some of the highlights -- by the numbers.

700 -- Head coach Holly Hesse earned her 700th career win with a doubleheader sweep at Illinois State on April 18.

.667 -- Erin Duewel had a slugging percentage of .667, the highest single season slugging percentage in school history.

181 -- MSU drew a program record 181 bases on balls in 2015.

100 -- Rebecca McPherson had 100 total bases in 2015, one shy of tying the single season school record.

48 -- The Bears hammered 48 home runs in 2015, obliterating the previous team mark of 34, matching the number worn by Allie Alvstad who missed the season beating acute myeloid leukemia.

32 -- Mary Stephens drew a team-high 32 walks, the third-highest single season total in school history.

30 -- MSU reached the 30-win plateau for the eighth time in Holly Hesse's tenure and the 11th time in program history.

22 -- Missouri State turned a school record 22 double plays in 2015.

20 -- Among the 88 multi-hit games, an MSU player racked up three or more hits in a game 20 times in 2015.

19 -- Erika Velasquez Zimmer had 19 multi-hit games in 2015 propelling the freshman to a team-high .361 batting average and the MVC Newcomer of the Year award.

17 -- Missouri State won 17 Missouri Valley Conference games, one shy of the all-time school record in league play.

15 -- Senior Rebecca McPherson had a 15-game hitting streak from April 4 through April 26.

14 -- Missouri State hit 14 sacrifice flies in 2015, the most in program history and the most in the MVC.

13 -- The Bears as a team drove in 13 runs in the win over UMKC on March 11, the highest single game RBI total in three seasons.

12 -- Rebecca McPherson hit a single season school record 12 home runs in 2015.

11 -- Sophomore Erin Struemph pitched all 11 innings in a 4-3 win over UNI on April 25.

10 -- The Missouri State pitching staff combined for 10 saves, the highest single season total in program history.

9 -- Nine of junior Erin Duewel's 11 home runs were hit during MVC play.

8 -- The Bears had an eight-game winning streak from March 31 through April 15.

7 -- MSU recorded seven shutouts in 2015, five of which were against MVC foes.

6 -- Erin Struemph had six saves in 2015, the eighth-most in the nation and tops among Valley pitchers.

5 -- Mary Stephens became the first player in 27 years to record five hits in a game, doing so against UMKC on March 11. She repeated the five-hit feat at Bradley 10 days later.

4 -- MSU had four players named to the All-MVC first team, senior Chelsea Jones, junior Erin Duewel, sophomore Erin Struemph and freshman Erika Velasquez Zimmer.

3 -- Three different MSU freshman hit home runs in 2015 including Kaitlin Beason and Chelsea Thomas whose first career hits were home runs.

2 -- Missouri State finished second in the regular season, the highest placing since 2006.

1 -- The Bears finished one game shy of earning an NCAA Tournament berth and an MVC Tournament title.