March 4, 2016 Box Score
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Under adverse weather conditions that featured near-freezing temperatures, the Missouri State softball team (8-7) earned a split in opening day action at the Cancer Awareness Tournament in St. Louis on Friday. Saint Louis (5-6) broke a late tie to down MSU, 4-1 in the first game of the day. The Bears rebounded with a crazy 11-8 win over UMKC (3-8) later in the day.
Sophomore Madison Jones continued her torrent pace at the plate picking up four hits on the day. She also had an RBI and scored a run on the day. Senior Erin Duewel added four hits in the twin bill as well. She drove in three runs and scored another.
Two other sophomores, Kaitlin Beason and Hailee Vigneaux combined for five RBI, all with two outs. Beason blasted her first home run of the season, a three-run shot. Beason also earned the win in the circle with 2.1 scoreless innings in relief against the Kangaroos. Vigneaux had two two-out RBI hits and scored twice.
"It was a challenging day to play ball," said head coach Holly Hesse. "I am proud of the way this team gutted out a split in these conditions."
Game 1 -- Missouri State 1, Saint Louis 4
Madison Jones picked up where she left off a week ago as she singled up the middle in the first inning. After a stolen base and fly out to right, she scored on an infield single by Duewel as MSU took a 1-0 lead.
The Billikens turned a leadoff single in the second into a run. Three walks in the frame pushed home the tying run.
Madison Jones hit a one-out triple in the MSU sixth inning. A walk to Beason and stolen base by pinch runner Erika Velasquez Zimmer put two in scoring position, but SLU clamped down in defense and held MSU scoreless in the inning.
The Billikens then took the momentum and broke the tie in the bottom of the inning. A leadoff double came in to score on a two-out double. SLU added insurance runs with a two-run home run by the next batter.
In the seventh, Elena Gambill singled to lead off. She was replaced at first on a fielder's choice. With two down, Olivia Roark reached on an infield single to bring the tying run to the plate. But a nice defensive stop at third put an end to the rally and the game.
Starting pitcher Erin Struemph pitched 5.2 solid innings. She struck out eight Billikens
Game 2 -- Missouri State 11, UMKC 8
The Bears drew first blood in the second game against the Kangaroos. Gambill began the MSU rally with a one-out walk in the second inning. With two outs, Molly Fields singled through the left side. Vigneaux followed with a laser double to the wall in right-center pushing home a run. A throwing error by the UMKC pitcher allowed two more runs to cross the plate.
The Roos cut into the Missouri State lead in the third. Three-consecutive two-out hits plated two runs and cut the MSU lead to 3-2.
Mary Stephens singled down the right field line to start the third. Pinch runner Velasquez Zimmer moved to second on a ground out and scored on a double by Duewel. A single by Gambill plated Duewel and upped the lead to 5-2.
A two-out walk by Stephens in the MSU fourth put two aboard. Beason belted a three-run bomb to right field giving the Bears an 8-2 advantage.
The lead would be short-lived. In the top of the fifth, UMKC sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six times to tie the game. Five of the runs were unearned following a two-out miscue by the Bears' defense.
Missouri State showed its mettle in the bottom of the fifth. Gambill drew a leadoff walk. She was sacrificed into scoring position by Hannah Heinrichs. Then with two-outs, Vigneaux singled up the middle to drive in the go-ahead run. After a stolen base by Vigneaux, Madison Jones drove her home with a single to center.
The Bears added an insurance run in the sixth. Stephens reached and advanced to second on a UMKC error. Two batters later, Duewel doubled down the left field line to push her home.
The Bears close out the season-opening road swing at the Cancer Awareness Tournament with games against SEMO and Northern Illinois on Saturday. Following this weekend's action in St. Louis, the Bears return to Killian Stadium for the 2016 home opener against Central Arkansas on Tuesday (March 8) at 4:00 p.m.
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