Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Season Stats
 
VALPARAISO, Ind. – Missouri State pounded out double-digit hits in both games here Saturday as part of a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader sweep over Valparaiso, 8-3 and 8-0.
 
Daphne Plummer and Madison Hunsaker collected four hits apiece for the Bears who improved to 18-14 overall and 10-4 in the MVC.
 
"We had a strong offensive day today which is exactly what we needed," said Bears head coach Holly Hesse. "We had seven doubles and got a lot of players involved. I thought Steff did a great job in game one and kept her composure when she needed to, then Rocket really was in command in the second game to give us the sweep."
 
With the loss in game two, Valparaiso's (5-24, 1-13) losing streak extended to 13 straight.
 
The teams square off again Sunday at 11 a.m. for a single game to close out the three-game league set. Missouri State makes its long-awaited return to Killian Stadium on Wednesday afternoon for a 12 p.m. game MVC matchup against Southern Illinois.
 
 
Game 1
Missouri State 8, Valparaiso 3
 
The Bears pounded out 10 hits and got a complete game from Steffany Dickerson to pick up the victory in game one, 8-3.
 
Dickerson (8-7) struck out six and allowed just two earned runs in the circle, while Daphne Plummer, Madison Hunsaker, Olivia Krehbiel and Darian Frost collected two hits apiece to pace the offense.
 
MSU wasted no time getting ahead in the series opener as Plummer singled to right as the first batter of the game and stole a pair of bases ahead of a Valpo wild pitch to put MSU on the board. Later in the inning, Frost singled home Hunsaker with a two-out single to left to make it 2-0.
 
The Bears scored two more in the second to add to their lead. A leadoff walk by Kelly Metter ahead of a base hit by Annie Mueller set the stage. Dickerson then drove home Metter on a ground ball, and Mueller worked her way home with some crafty base running to make it 4-0.
 
Valpo cut the Bears lead in half in the home half of the fourth, capitalizing on a fielder's choice and a pair of MSU errors that made it 4-2.
 
However, Missouri State put things out of reach in the top of the fifth. Four doubles in the inning from Dickerson, Plummer, Hunsaker and Krehbiel led to three more runs and extended MSU's lead to 7-2 in an impressive game one victory.
 
Jaina Westphal had two of Valpo's seven hits. Starter Caitlyn Kowalski (4-11) went 1+ innings for the home side, facing just eight batters but giving up four earned runs, three hits and a pair of walks.
 
 
Game 2
Missouri State 8, Valparaiso 0 (5 innings)
 
Madison Hunsaker (7-4) allowed just one hit in four innings, and Gracie Johnston closed things out in the fifth as the Bears rolled to an 8-0 run-rule victory in game two.
 
The Bears pounded out 11 hits, including two apiece by Hunsaker and Plummer, marking just the second time this season they have collected double-figure hits in back-to-back games.
 
After scratching across a pair of tallies in the first with RBI hits from Hunsaker and Darian Frost, the Bears blew things open with a five-run fifth.
 
Plummer, Payton Minnis, Hunsaker and Krehbiel strung together four straight singles that made it 4-0 before a sacrifice fly by Tess Weakly. Alex Boze then smashed a two-run double to give MSU a seven-run lead.
 
The visitors added an insurance run in the fifth with a pinch-hit double from Ashton Thomas that scored Weakly.
 
The only blemish on Hunsaker's day was a one-out single by Jaina Westphal in the bottom of the third. She struck out five and faced two over the minimum in her four strong innings of work.
 
Easton Seib (1-10) took the loss for Valpo after she gave up four earned runs in 2+ innings with five hits, a walk and a pair of strikeouts.