Feb. 26, 2016 Box Score
TROY, Ala. -- Senior pitcher Jessie Van Es continued her impressive final season with a complete game win over Mercer to open the Trojan Warrior Tournament in Troy, Ala., on Friday morning. The Pottsville, Ark., native struck out a career-high six batters as Missouri State (5-4) downed Mercer, 5-1.
Sophomores Kaitlin Beason and Hailee Vigneaux had two hits apiece in the win. Beason doubled and drove in a run.
Senior Erin Duewel and freshman Hannah Heinrichs each hit homers, the first game this season that MSU has had multiple home runs in a game. Duewel drove home a game-high three runs with her blast.
"We played well in all aspects of the game," said head coach Holly Hesse. "It was a great way to end our short losing streak. Jessie (Van Es) had another great outing. She has been consistently good in the circle in all three of her starts this season."
Mercer turned a one-out walk in the top of the third inning into a run. With two outs and a runner in scoring position, MU's right fielder tripled to push home the first run of the game.
Missouri State answered in the bottom of the frame. Heinrichs belted a leadoff solo home run to straight-away center field to knot the game at 1-1. It was the first career long ball for Heinrichs.
In the MSU fourth inning, Mary Stephens doubled to left to begin the frame. She moved to third on a bloop single by Beason. Duewel cleared the bases with her second home run of the season, a three- run shot to left.
Pinch hitter Darian Frost drew a one-out walk in the fifth inning. Beason drove in the fifth run of the game with a double to right-center.
The Bears will return to the field at 2:30 today to face Austin Peay. MSU will play host Troy and Mercer again on Saturday at 2:30 and 5:00 p.m., respectively. The Bears close out the weekend in Troy with a 9:30 a.m. contest against Dayton.
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