April 24, 2016 Box Score
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Sophomore Madison Jones had a career-high four runs batted in, but it was freshman Darian Frost's two-out RBI single in the seventh that pushed the Missouri State softball team (17-27, 6-12) to a series-closing 9-8 win at Northern Iowa (34-14, 13-6) on Sunday. Eight of the nine MSU batters in the lineup contributed at least one hit.
Jones had two hits in the game, driving home a pair of runs with each base knock. She also crossed the plate once.
Juniors Elena Gambill and Olivia Roark had two hits apiece. Roark scored twice and drove in one. Gambill scored a run and also drew a walk in the game. Another junior, Mary Stephens, drove in three with a home run, her sixth of the year.
"I thought all weekend we showed great resiliency and resolve," said head coach Holly Hesse. "We made them work for their two wins. We scored a lot of runs in this series and our offense up and down the lineup did a great job. If we keep doing that, we have a good shot to finish strong."
The Panthers jumped in front in the first inning. Two hits and two walks gave UNI a 1-0 lead, but MSU starter Erin Struemph left the bases loaded to limit the damage.
In the third inning, the Bears' offense found its groove. Gambill drew a leadoff walk and was sacrificed to second by Hailee Vigneaux. Erika Velasquez Zimmer singled to left to put runners at the corners. Roark dropped a double just over the third baseman to drive in one. Madison Jones followed and doubled to the wall in left-center to plate two more. A two-out UNI error prolonged the inning and ary Stephens took advantage belting a three-run home run to center. The six runs in the inning tied a season high set on opening day against Texas Southern.
UNI got a run back in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff solo home run.
Missouri State got right back at it in the fourth. Gambill started the frame with a single to right. Back-to-back fielder's choice putouts at second seemed to quash the rally, but a Panthers errors extended the frame and reinvigorated the offense. Madison Jones came to the plate with two in scoring position and sent a slow roller to short and beat the throw to first, driving in both runners.
The Panthers got right back in the game with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Reliever Kaitlin Beason came in with the bases loaded and no outs. She got out of the jam allowing just one inherited runner to score, on a fielder's choice.
UNI pulled even in the sixth as a pair of leadoff hits came around to score. Beason held the Panthers there as she scored two runners in scoring position to send the game to the seventh tied at 8-8.
MSU's Erin Duewel reached on a Panther error to begin the seventh. She moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a sac bunt by Beason. Then with two away, Frost singled through the left side to push home the go-ahead run. The Panthers threatened in the bottom of the seventh, but Beason left the tying and go-ahead runs on base for the win.
Missouri State will travel to Wichita State for the series finale at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Bears return to Killian Stadium on Wednesday for a single game at 5:00 p.m. against SIU Edwardsville.
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