May 12, 2016 Box Score
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Junior pitcher Erin Struemph struck out eight Bradley Braves and pitched her 15th complete game of the season to push the Missouri State softball team (22-29) forward in the MVC Softball Championship with a 6-3 win at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale, Ill., on Thursday.
Senior Erin Duewel hit her ninth home run of the year and had two hits in the game. Junior Elena Gambill also added two hits, driving in a run and scoring another.
Sophomore Kaitlin Beason drove in two runs on a single and drew a walk. Freshman Darian Frost drove in a run on a base hit as well and was issued a walk.
"We did a good job of getting our lead off on," said head coach Holly Hesse, who picked up her 49th all-time win in the MVC Tournament. "Madison's (Jones) effort was tremendous, that's the kind of effort the game rewards. I just love the energy and the effort that we are playing the game with right now."
All-conference first teamer Olivia Roark led off the game with a bunt single. Four pitches later, a liner was gloved just off the ground and resulted in a muted double play.
In the second, MSU alternated walks and outs. Mary Stephens worked a full-count walk to begin the inning. Pinch runner Sara Jones moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Gambill. Beason drew a walk after working the count full. Two batters later, Frost was issued the third free pass on the frame on a full count. But Bradley was able to work out of the jam without giving up a run.
The Bears kept at it and broke through in the third. With two down, Duewel sent a 1-2 pitch out of the park to center field giving MSU a 1-0 lead. Stephens continued the inning with a single to right-center. A deep fly ball to left field was dropped allowing Stephens to score from first to double the lead.
Bradley (18-30) turned back-to-back leadoff hits in the fourth into two runs. A two-out single, the third hit of the inning, pushed home the tying run.
Missouri State answered right back in the fifth. Madison Jones singled to left to begin the rally. Duewel reached on a bunt single. Two batters later, Gambill doubled down the left field line to push home the go-ahead run. Beason followed with a single up the middle to plate two more and chase the Bradley starter. Hailee Vigneaux reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and scored on a base hit to right by Frost.
Bradley got an unearned run in the seventh, but Struemph closed the deal with a pair of fly outs to left to end the game.
MSU advances to Friday's quarterfinals against host Southern Illinois at 11:04 a.m. The winner moves on to the semifinals against the top-seed Wichita State at 4:04 p.m.
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