CONWAY, Ark. – Missouri State softball outscored its opponents 15-3 en route to a two-game sweep here Friday at the Michelle Short Memorial Tournament.
 
The Bears (6-2) defeated Omaha, 3-1 in game one of the day before bursting out to a 12-2 victory over Western Illinois in the second game.
 
"It was a great all-around day for us and we really exceled in all areas today,"  said head coach Holly Hesse.  "Our pitchers where impressive again, our lineup was ferocious and really swung the bat well especially in that second game, and then our defense played great too."
 
Game 1
Bears 3, UNO 1                                                                                        
Four runs in the first inning provided all the scoring in the early game with Missouri State holding the advantage in a 3-1 win over Omaha.
 
Gracie Johnston (1-0) posted a complete game effort to continue the Bears' electric pitching that has allowed one or fewer runs in four of their first seven games of 2021. 
 
Omaha (1-6) was the first to the scoreboard as a leadoff hit from Lynsey Tucker turned into the game's opening run when she later scored on a sac fly to center field. 
 
However, it didn't take long for MSU to start its scoring either after leadoff hitter Daphne Plummer reached on an error and then came around to score on Madison Hunsaker's RBI triple.  Following a Tess Weakly sac fly that plated Hunsaker, Olivia Krehbiel and Alex Boze strung together back-to-back singles to put runners at the corners.  The Bears scored their third run of the inning on another sacrifice, this time on a well-placed bunt off the bat of Kelly Metter.
 
From there, Johnston took care of the rest as she settled into the game by retiring seven batters in a row and only allowed four base runners the rest of the way.  Her final line of 7IP, 0ER, 5H, and 4K earned the sophomore right-hander her first win of the season.
 
The Bears scattered five hits in the game with Plummer and Hunsaker registering extra bases on theirs.  Hunsaker gave MSU its first triple bagger of 2021 and was the second of her career while Plummer collected her first double of the season in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Game 2
Bears 12, WIU 2 (5 inn.)
Missouri State's offense erupted for a 12-run barrage to run rule Western Illinois (6-3), 12-2 in the nightcap.  MSU scored its 12 runs off of 12 hits and committed no errors in the field.
 
After already boasting a 4-0 lead, the Bears scored eight runs in the final two innings to run away with their second victory of the day and induce the five-inning run limit.
 
Meagan McCorkell punctuated a six-run fourth inning with her first career home run.  Coming on as a pinch hitter, the sophomore slugger sent her three-run shot over the center field fence to increase the Bears' lead to 10-0.  Earlier in the inning, Krehbiel plated two runs on a double to right field and later scored on a fielder's choice.  
 
Weakly tallied MSU's fifth and final double of the contest in the top of the fifth to score Hunsaker and later came around to score on a Leathernecks miscue to cap the 12-2 victory.
 
MSU scored three runs on four hits in the opening frame to give Hunsaker a nice cushion before she even entered the circle.  It was her RBI double that kicked off the scoring after she followed Plummer's leadoff triple with another extra-base.  Weakly's ensuing single drove in pinch-runner Kelsie Lewis before Metter added the Bears' second RBI double of the inning.
 
For the second time in three innings, MSU led off an inning with a triple and a double.  Frost hustled all the way to third on her first extra-base hit of the season before Metter came through with her second RBI to tack on another run.
 
The Bears batters tore the cover off the ball, launching eight extra-base hits in the game with five doubles, two triples and McCorkell's home run.  Metter added two more RBIs to her day, giving her five total for the season.
 
Hunsaker (3-1) went four innings in the circle and struck out six before being relieved in the fifth by Bailey Greenlee who chipped in two K's.
 
Missouri State closes out the tournament tomorrow (Feb. 27) with a game against Omaha that has been moved up to 9 a.m. due to inclement weather in the forecast.