Feb. 20, 2016 Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- The Missouri State softball team (4-4) didn't trail until the final pitch of each game at the Holiday Inn Hilltopper Classic on Saturday. The Bears lost game one to Murray State (3-2) in the ninth inning, 1-0. Then in game two, host Western Kentucky (4-3) got a walk-off single to down MSU, 4-3.
Senior pitcher Jessie Van Es pitched a career-long eight innings against Murray State. She did not allow a run in those eight innings pitched and struck out three Racers.
Madison Jones and Olivia Roark recorded three hits apiece on the day, including hits in each game. Mary Stephens added a pair of doubles against WKU, driving in a run and scoring another.
"I thought Jessie (Van Es) threw an extremely good game in game one," said head coach Holly Hesse. "I am just disappointed we didn't come up with a run or two to win it. I am pleased that we have been in every game thus far this season. We need to find a way to win these close games if we plan to have a great season."
Game 1 -- Missouri State 0, Murray State 1 (9)
The Bears got a runner on base in each of the first three innings as Stephens and Erin Duewel reached via walk and Jones recorded the first MSU hit of the game. In all three frames, Missouri State was held off the board.
Jones drew a walk in the sixth and Missouri State got a runner aboard on a Murray State error in the seventh, but were unable to get a run home in either frame.
For the second time this season, the Bears needed extra innings to decide the outcome of a game. Back-to-back bunt singles by Olivia Roark and Jones looked promising, but the Racers kept both runners on base stranding them in scoring position. Van Es escaped a jam in the bottom of the eighth, leaving two runners on base.
The ninth began with a runner placed on second base. Missouri State was able to get the runner to third, but the Racers escaped without a Bear touching home.
Murray State sacrificed its runner to third to begin the bottom of the ninth. A deep fly ball to right allowed the runner to tag and score the winning run.
Game 2 -- Missouri State 3, Western Kentucky 4
The Bears jumped in front early against Western Kentucky. Roark reached on a bunt single to begin the game. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hailee Vigneaux. Stephens ripped a double off the center field wall to push the first run home. Bethany Sullinger singled through the left side and drove in Stephens to make it 2-0.
WKU got a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the first to cut the MSU lead in half. The Bears turned another double play in the inning, the team's fifth of the young season.
Erika Velasquez Zimmer drew a two-out walk in the second inning. She stole second and then moved to third on a Roark single to put runners on the corners. A double steal saw Velasquez Zimmer come home with the third MSU run of the game.
The Hilltoppers plated the tying run in the bottom of the fourth inning after loading the bases. MSU starter Kaitlin Beason limited the damage to just a single run as she stranded the bases loaded in the inning.
In the MSU sixth, Jones singled up the middle to start the frame. The Bears were unable to get her home. Again in the seventh, MSU had runners aboard, but both were stranded.
WKU turned a pair of walks in the bottom of the seventh into the winning run on a bloop single to the left side with two away.
MSU hurler Erin Struemph struck out five in 2.2 innings of relief. She was the tough-luck recipient of both losses on the day.
MSU's games scheduled for Sunday in Bowling Green were cancelled due to forecasted rain in the area. The Bears travel to Troy, Ala., next week for the Trojan Warrior Tournament beginning on Friday. Missouri State will play Mercer, Austin Peay, Dayton and host, Troy while in Alabama.
#MSUBears
