March 26, 2016 Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Missouri State softball team (12-16, 2-3) was on the wrong end of a doubleheader sweep at the hands of visiting Bradley (9-17, 4-2) at Killian Stadium on Saturday. MSU fell in the opening game of the day, 7-5. In the rubber game, junior pitcher Erin Struemph tossed another three-hitter, but was outdueled by the BU hurler in a 1-0 defeat.
Struemph pitched her third-straight complete game three-hitter in game two. She struck out four batters. Her third hit allowed left the yard and was the difference in the series.
Senior Erin Duewel had a pair of extra-base hits on the day. She belted her team-leading fifth home run of the year in game one. Then in game two, her double nearly put the Bears in front.
Sophomore Kaitlin Beason registered a hit in each game and drew three walks. Freshman Hannah Heinrichs and sophomore Erika Velasquez Zimmer each added a pair of hits.
"(Erin) Struemph is absolutely doing her part in the eight-foot circle," said head coach Holly Hesse. "We got 14 really great innings out of her this weekend. She is on her game and when she is on her game, we have a chance to win. I feel like we are starting to put good swings on good pitches. I felt that even in this game we made a lot of loud outs."
Game 1 -- Missouri State 5, Bradley 7
Velasquez Zimmer reached via a bunt single with one down in the bottom of the first. Two batters later, Beason drew her first walk of the day. Duewel followed and sent a 3-2 pitch deep to right and over the fence to put MSU up 3-0.
Bradley countered in the second inning with a three-run home run of its own to tie the game.
Molly Fields began the Bears' second with a walk. Pinch runner Morgan Greenlee moved to second on a sac bunt by Hailee Vigneaux. A single by Heinrichs moved Greenlee to third. Madison Jones then singled through the right side to drive in a run.
The Braves countered in the third. BU turned a leadoff single into a game-tying run.
The Bears loaded the bases in the third and the fourth innings. But Bradley recorded a force out at home in both innings to keep the Bears from scoring the go-ahead run.
Bradley batted around in the fifth inning and plated three runs on five hits. Darian Frost and Vigneaux singled in the bottom of the frame, but MSU was not able to pull closer.
Down to their last at-bat, Frost reached on a BU error to begin the Bears' seventh. A single by pinch hitter Bethany Sullinger extended the inning and put runners on the corners. Heinrichs grounded into a fielder's choice to plate a run, but that was all the Bears could generate in the inning.
Game 2 -- Missouri State 0, Bradley 1
Game two quickly turned into a pitcher's duel. Struemph and Bradley pitcher Jaelen Hull matches zeroes on the scoreboard through the first six innings, each giving up just two hits.
Beason singled in the second inning. She drew a walk in the fourth inning. Duewel followed and doubled into right-center, but Beason was cut down sliding into home to end the threat.
Bradley hit a solo home run on the first pitch of the seventh inning to break the scoreless tie and give the Braves the win and the series.
Missouri State sets out on a four-game road trip beginning at Arkansas on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. The Bears head north for a three-game series at Loyola on April 2-3 before returning to Killian Stadium on April 6 versus Central Arkansas at 6:00 p.m.
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