Feb. 19, 2016 Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Every batter in the Missouri State starting lineup registered a hit and the Bears racked up 17 hits in an 11-3 win over host Western Kentucky (3-3) on the opening day of the Holiday Inn Hilltopper Classic on Friday night. The Bears (4-2) got RBI from nine different players in the game and scored in every inning except the first.
Junior pitcher Erin Struemph recorded her first double-digit strikeout performance of the season as she struck out 10 Hilltoppers. Struemph scattered seven hits and improved to 3-0 on the season.
Senior Erin Duewel went 2-for-2 with her first home run of the season. She drove in three in the game that included a sacrifice fly and a sacrifice bunt by the Lee's Summit native.
Junior Olivia Roark had a career-high three hits on the day including her first extra-base hit. Kaitlin Beason, Braxton Coil and Hailee Vigneaux also had multiple hits in the game.
"The starters all did their jobs and we have key contributions off the bench as well," said head coach Holly Hesse. "Just a total team win today. She (Struemph) is looking good early on this season. It's nice to see her have a bunch of strikeouts because that is what she is always capable of."
Duewel began the Bears' second inning with a one-hop double off the wall in left-center. Three pitches later, Elena Gambill laced a double inside the third base bag and down the line to push home the first run of the game.
Olivia Roark started the MSU third inning with a double to left-center. Erika Velasquez Zimmer moved her to third on a beautiful sacrifice bunt. Vigneaux drove in Roark on an infield hit to up the advantage to 2-0.
Western Kentucky pulled in front in the bottom of the third inning on a three-run home run to center field.
MSU immediately responded in the fourth. Kaitlin Beason singled sharply up the middle. Pinch runner Kyana Mason moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Duewel. Two batters later, Hannah Heinrichs roped a double off the right field wall to push home the tying run. Pinch hitter Bethany Sullinger hit the first pitch she saw into center field to drive in the go-ahead run.
The Bears offense continued in the sixth. Heinrichs reached second base on a WKU error to begin the frame. She moved to third on a single by Coil. Roark reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Velasquez Zimmer dropped a bunt and legged it out to score another run for MSU.
In the seventh, the Bears broke the game wide open. Beason singled up the middle and Duewel followed with a two-run blast to straight-away center field. A walk and another WKU error put two on board for Coil, who doubled to left-center to push home another run. Two batters later, Allie Alvstad drove in her first run of the year with an RBI ground out. Pinch hitter Molly Fields singled to left to cap the five-run inning for MSU.
The Bears continue action at the Holiday Inn Hilltopper Classic on Saturday with a 9:30 a.m. game against Murray State and a 12:00 p.m. tilt versus the Lady Toppers. MSU will wrap up the weekend on Sunday with games against Austin Peay and Murray State at 9:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., respectively.
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