Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Season Stats | MVC-Only Stats
 
VALPARAISO, Ind. – A complete-game no-hitter by sophomore Steffany Dickerson in game one helped propel the Missouri State softball Bears to a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader split here Monday against Valparaiso.
 
MSU (20-12, 6-4 MVC) out-hit the Crusaders (11-14, 2-6 MVC) in both games, giving up just two hits on the day, but fell 5-2 in the second game with five unearned runs in the fifth by the home side.
 
"Steff was outstanding in game one," said MSU head coach Holly Hesse. "She had good command, and our defense really played well behind her. I'm so happy for her to get a no-hitter on the road in difficult, cold and windy conditions.
 
"In game two, they capitalized on a mistake and got a big inning out of it. We allowed just two hits all day, but their grand slam was certainly a big one."
 
The Bears return to Killian Stadium on Wednesday at 5 p.m. to take on nationally-ranked Arkansas (25-11) at 5 p.m.
 
 
Game 1
Missouri State 6, Valparaiso 0
 
Dickerson threw her first career no-hitter and helped lead the Bears to a 6-0 victory over the Crusaders in game one.

In a complete-game effort, Dickerson (13-4) struck out seven and walked two in the program's 17^th all-time no-hitter and club's second this season.
 
Missouri State pounded out 11 hits – all singles – including three by Daphne Plummer.
 
MSU wasted no time putting a tally on the board in the opening inning. A walk and stolen base by Plummer set the table for Madison Hunsaker who crushed a two-out single to center to put the Bears ahead.
 
The visitors put base runners on in each of the next four innings but could not capitalize until the sixth when they broke through for five runs. Walks to Hunsaker and Kelly Metter sandwiched a single to left by Darby Joerling to load the bases with nobody out. Rachel Weber then drew a walk to give MSU a 2-0 lead and chase Valparaiso reliever Emily Richardson who entered the game in the fifth.
 
Missouri State was equally discourteous to the Crusaders' next pitcher, Jenna Edwards, touching her for three consecutive hits. Alex Boze drove in two with a single to left to make it 4-0 before base knocks from Payton Minnis and Kyana Mason gave Edwards the quick exit.
 
With Taylor Knight in the circle for the Crusaders, the Bears continued to put pressure on the home side. Weber scored moments later on a double steal to make it 5-0, and then Dickerson helped her cause with an RBI groundout to score Minnis and make it a 6-0 contest.
 
Seven different Missouri State players collected hits in the shutout victory – the team's 20^th of the season.
 
 
Game 2
Valparaiso 5, Missouri State 2
 
In the second game, a five-run third inning by the Crusaders was the difference in a 5-2 MSU loss. The Bears out-hit Valparaiso by a 5-2 margin and did not allow any earned runs.
 
MSU rallied late in the game behind a solo homer by Kyana Mason – her fourth of the year – in the sixth inning, before loading the bases in the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate with nobody out.
 
An RBI groundout by Plummer made it a 5-2 game in the final inning, but Valpo's starter Edwards (3-6) got a strikeout and a ground ball to end the Bears' threat. After getting roughed up in game one, Edwards struck out 10 and walked three in game two, working around Missouri State base runners in six of the game's seven innings.
 
All of Valparaiso's runs in its big third inning were unearned as the Crusaders capitalized on three walks, an error and a sacrifice bunt to set the table. A bases-loaded walk to Taylor Herschbach broke up a scoreless game at the time, and then on the very next pitch, Jaymee Lawton blasted her fifth home run of the season, a grand slam to right center field for the Crusaders' only hit in the inning.
 
MSU starter Erin Griesbauer (4-7) recovered to retire the next seven consecutive hitters she faced before giving way to Bailey Greenlee in the sixth. Greenlee extended the MSU streak to 10 outs in a row, retiring all three batters she saw.
 
Mason and Joerling accounted for two hits apiece for Missouri State.