RUSTON, La. – The Missouri State softball team's offense carried the Bears to victories over South Dakota and UMass Lowell on day one of the Louisiana Tech Invitational, Friday afternoon at the Lady Techster Softball Complex. MSU completed a 13-3 run-rule over the Coyotes and edged out the Riverhawks, 2-1.
 
Missouri State 13, South Dakota 3
The Bears snapped their three-game win drought with a 13-3 run rule over the Coyotes where the team combined for 13 hits. Scoring first in its fifth game this season, MSU used a six-run first inning to take a commanding lead over the Coyotes.
 
Senior Erika Velasquez Zimmer began the offensive onslaught with a single into center and immediately stole second. A grounder moved her into scoring position and a sacrifice fly from Darian Frost plated the Bears' first run of the frame. Back-to-back hits from Kaitlin Beason and Allie Alvstad, followed by a walk that loaded the bases, prompted USD to relieve its starting pitcher, Dustie Durham.
 
With two outs, Sarah Lisko took over the circle for the Coyotes and immediately issued two walks that upped MSU's score, 3-0. MSU dealt another blow one batter later when freshman Steffany Dickerson stepped up to pinch hit in the nine hole. On a 0-1 count, Dickerson lifted a base-clearing double into left center that propelled the Bears to an early 6-0 lead.
 
South Dakota answered back in the bottom of the frame after sophomore hurler Erin Griesbauer (2-0) walked the leadoff hitter. An infield single moved one Coyote into scoring position and, two outs later, USD shortened MSU's lead, 6-1, after a fielding error allowed a stray to come home.
 
The Bears put immediate pressure on the Coyotes in the top of the fourth thanks to a fielder's choice and a Velasquez Zimmer single into center field. Following a ground out that moved the pair into scoring position, Frost earned her second RBI of the game on a grounder that neither the USD first or second baseman could field. Beason topped off the inning and put the Bears in rule-rule position with a two-RBI double into deep center field to up the score, 9-1.
 
However, USD cut into the Bears' lead once more in the bottom in the frame when Dylan Underwood reached second base on MSU's second error of the game. The Coyotes used a one-out double to push across its second run of the game, but Griesbauer quickly put a stop to the damage with two ground outs to end the inning.
 
MSU needed just one run to return to run-rule territory and used three consecutive singles to gain momentum. With bases juiced, Velasquez Zimmer lifted a sacrifice fly out to left field and brought in Madison Jones to make it a 10-2 ball game in favor of the Bears. Giving the Bears some insurance runs, Daphne Plummer blasted a two-RBI double into left center and was brought home one batter later thanks to a Frost single through the right side.
 
Holding a 13-3 lead heading into the top of the fifth, the Coyotes led off the inning with a single before Griesbauer and the Bears sat down the next two batters. However, after back-to-back singles loaded the bases, Beason stepped into the circle to record the final out of the game. USD lined out on the first pitch she delivered and MSU completed its second run-rule of the season.
 
Griesbauer collected one strikeout and earned the win after going 4.2 innings in the circle. Beason led the Bears with three hits while Frost brought in a team-leading three RBIs.
 
Missouri State 2, UMass Lowell 1
Freshman hurler Madison Hunsaker earned the first win of her Missouri State career after tossing 5.2 innings in the Bears' 2-1 win against UMass Lowell. Hunsaker, who kept the Riverhawks off the board for five innings, tallied three strikeouts in her first career start.
 
Both teams struggled to scratch across a run through the first four innings. However, the Bears capitalized on four hits and one error in the bottom of the fifth and took a 2-0 lead after Morgan Greenlee began the inning with a double into left field. Vigneaux followed up with a textbook bunt and immediately stole second to put both runners in scoring position for the Bears.
 
Picking up her first RBI of the season, Madison Jones scorched a single to the UML second baseman and brought in Greenlee to give the Bears their first run of the game. One pitch later, Jones took off on a steal for second and a throw down that made its way into center allowed Vigneaux to trot safely home.
 
Answering in the top of the sixth, the Riverhawks recorded a two-out walk and single to keep their inning alive. The next at-bat, UML's Madison Alcorn snuck a single through the left side and Vigneaux fired a laser that caught a Riverhawk at the plate, but obstruction was called on the play and the runner was called safe to cut MSU's lead, 2-1.
 
Following the run, senior Holly Kelley stepped in to relieve Hunsaker and ended the inning with her first of three strikeouts. Kelley and the Bears held off UML in the final inning and made out with 2-1 victory to improve to 6-5 overall.
 
Coming Up Next
The Bears return to the Lady Techster Softball Complex tomorrow for a 5 p.m. game against host Louisiana Tech, followed by a 7 p.m. matchup against Alcorn State. Live stats and a live stream will be available for both games. For all the latest information on the Missouri State softball team, visit missouristatebears.com or follow @MSUSoftball on Twitter.