Box Score | Season Stats |
 
SPRINGFIELD – A solo blast over the center field wall in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted Missouri State (16-10, 3-0 MVC) to an 8-7, extra-inning win over visiting Illinois State here Saturday in Missouri Valley Conference softball play.
 
Frost's third homer of the season gave the Bears their first three-game series sweep of the Redbirds since 2005 after MSU won both games of Friday's twin bill.
 
Missouri State's victory came in improbably fashion with the Bears trailing 7-3 headed into the bottom of the sixth. After Madison Hunsaker and Darby Joerling led the inning off with back-to-back walks, Kyana Mason appeared to slap an RBI double to left but was called out for being outside the batter's box. But Madison Jones would not let the call impede momentum when she slammed a two-run triple to make it a 7-5 game.
 
Erika Velasquez Zimmer then made it a one-run game with her second RBI single of the afternoon, taking the Bears into the seventh inning down 7-6.
 
After Steffany Dickerson (5-3) continued her masterful relief outing in the top of the seventh, the Bears knotted the score in the bottom half. Frost led the inning off with a walk and with two outs, Kelly Metter slammed an RBI double off the top of the wall in right-center to make it a 7-7 contest.
 
Dickerson handled the Redbirds in the eighth and ninth innings, allowing just a walk and a single in that span, to set up an opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. Kaitlin Beason grounded out to begin the frame, but Frost ended it quickly, launching a no-doubter to center field for the walk-off solo homer.
 
"It takes everybody, and there's not a weak part of our lineup they can pitch around," said Frost. "Everybody played a huge role in that win. Today, top to bottom, everybody helped us in key spots along the way."
 
The Bears fell behind 4-0 early and rallied with three in the bottom of the fourth, thanks in part of Joerling's first career homer, a two-run shot. Velasquez Zimmer tacked on the third run of the inning with an RBI single to center to plate Mason and get the Bears back in the hunt.
 
"It's huge to come out and sweep last year's (MVC) regular-season champions," said head coach Holly Hesse. "The thing I liked the most was our fight. We are playing with a lot of confidence, and we didn't settle and just kept fighting."
 
Jones, Frost and Velasquez Zimmer each notched two hits apiece for the Bears. Dickerson struck out seven in 3.2 innings of work in relief while surrendering just three hits and a walk.
 
Sarah Finck (6-10) took the loss for the Redbirds, who out-hit the Bears by a 10-9 margin.
 
Coming Up Next
The Bears host UMKC on Tuesday afternoon in a non-conference tilt at Killian Stadium. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
 
For all the latest information on the Missouri State softball team, visit MissouriStateBears.com or follow @MSUSoftball on Twitter.