Box Score | Season Stats
 
SPRINGFIELD – Evansville used power hitting and power pitching to get past a feisty Missouri State (21-15, 9-6 MVC) team, 6-4, here Saturday in the deciding game of a three-game Missouri Valley Conference softball series.
 
The Purple Aces (18-23, 9-6 MVC) got a solo home run by Morgan Lambert in the second inning and added a two-run blast from leadoff hitter Brittany Hay in the fourth to build a 3-0 lead.
 
The Bears answered with a single run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI hit by catcher Darian Frost to make it a 3-1 game. Evansville retaliated in the sixth with a pivotal three-run rally that began with a leadoff triple by Ashlee Kawall. Hayli Scott's two-out double later in the inning scored two and made it a 6-1 contest.
 
But the home side had a few tricks left in the bag. The first four Bears reached base in the bottom of the sixth, ignited by a leadoff triple by Bethany Sullinger. Kaitlin Beason drove her home with a single to the right side, followed by walks to Elena Gambill and Frost to load the bases. UE starter Morgan Florey got some great defensive help behind her to help put out the fire, but not before RBI groundouts from Mary Stephens and Olivia Roark got the Bears within 6-4.
 
Beason surrendered a leadoff double to start the Evansville half of the seventh, but pitched around it thanks to three great defensive plays, including an athletic catch and tag by Madison Jones on a stolen base attempt that Frost helped gun down.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the first two Bears reached to bring the winning run to the plate. Hailee Vigneaux singled to right before Jones was hit by a pitch. Sullinger sacrificed them into scoring position to bring up Beason. The Bears' top power hitter then flew out to left for the second out before Gambill popped out to end the game and MSU's comeback hopes.
 
"I love the way our team competed this weekend," said head coach Holly Hesse. "We could have given up today when we were down 6-1, but we didn't. We played with passion, and I think our team's doing a great job with that. I'm pleased with the fact we beat (Foley) yesterday and competed hard against her today. She hit 70 miles an hour at times yesterday, and I'm pleased with the number of balls we put in play and the seven hits we had today."
 
Foley (12-6), the MVC's top strikeout pitcher, fanned six Bears on Saturday while walking two and giving up seven hits in a complete-game win. Chandra Parr went 3-for-4 from UE, giving her eight hits in the three-game series.
 
MSU's starter, Beason (11-7), gave up nine hits and two walks but struck out two. Holly Kelley pitched an inning in relief to help put out the UE rally in the sixth. Roark led MSU's offense with two hits.
 
Missouri State returns to Valley play on Wednesday with a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Wichita State.