Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Season Stats
 
SPRINGFIELD – In the first-ever softball matchup between Missouri State (17-12, 3-2 MVC) and Valparaiso (14-11, 2-3 MVC) as Missouri Valley Conference foes, the visiting Crusaders swept a doubleheader here at Killian Stadium on Saturday, winning the first game 4-1 before holding off the Bears in game two, 3-2.
 
Hailee Vigneaux, Daphne Plummer and Madison Jones each accounted for two hits apiece for MSU on the day with Darby Joerling's solo homer in the second game being the Bears' only extra-base hit of the twin bill.
 
 
GAME ONE
Valparaiso 4, Missouri State 1
 
Valparaiso broke open a 1-1 game with a three-run rally in the top of the seventh to snap MSU's five-game winning streak, 4-1.
 
Kelsie Packard (1-1) earned the win for Valpo, striking out four in a complete-game effort to give the Crusaders their first-ever MVC victory.
 
Gabby Magnifico slammed a solo homer for Valpo in the top of the second – her third of the year -- to start the game's scoring. MSU answered in the home half of the second on an RBI single to left by Madison Jones that plated Madison Hunsaker.
 
MSU starter Holly Kelley (7-3) went into cruise control from there, retiring 12 straight Valpo hitters at one point before giving up a single in the sixth. However, Valparaiso broke through in the seventh, capitalizing on a leadoff walk to Magnifico who scored on an RBI single by Jasmine Ramirez with two outs. Valpo then added two more tallies with a two-run homer by Morgan Matalin, her first of the year.
 
Kelley struck out six for the Bears in 6.2 innings of work, allowing just five hits and a walk. Seven different Bears collected hits in the loss – all singles – while MSU stranded six runners in scoring position in the game's first three innings.
 
 
GAME TWO
Valparaiso 3, Missouri State 2
 
In the second game, Valparaiso picked up where it left off in game one, scoring twice in the top of the first to set the pace in a 3-2 win over the Bears.
 
An RBI double by Carly Trepanier preceded a sacrifice fly by Magnifico to give the visitors an early 2-0 advantage.  MSU countered in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of a Valpo throwing error to put Erika Velasquez Zimmer on base to start the frame. An RBI groundout by Kaitlin Beason three batters later put the Bears on the scoreboard to make it a 2-1 contest.
 
MSU tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer to center from pinch hitter Joerling. She slammed a 2-1 pitch over the fence for her second round-tripper of the campaign. It also marked just the second homer allowed by Valpo starter Kenzie Grossmann all season.
 
In the top of the fifth, Valparaiso went ahead for good, getting a leadoff triple by Taylor Lawson who scored moments later on a sac fly by Jayme Lawton to make it a 3-2 game.
 
The Bears put just one runner on base after that – a one-out walk by Steffany Dickerson in the seventh – but went otherwise quietly for Crusader reliever Emily Richardson who went 3.0 innings to earn her third save.
 
Kenzie Grossman (9-4) struck out three in the victory for the Crusaders, while Dickerson (5-4) fanned six Valpo hitters in a valiant 6.0 innings of work.
 
Coming Up Next
The Bears close out the Valparaiso series with a single game on Sunday at 11 a.m.
 
For all the latest information on the Missouri State softball team, visit MissouriStateBears.com or follow @MSUSoftball on Twitter.