Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Season Stats | Highlights
 
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Skyler Shaw had a four-hit day, and Olivia Krehbiel hit a couple of home runs here Saturday as Missouri State split a Missouri Valley Conference softball doubleheader at Indiana State.
 
The Bears took the first game, 11-1, in an abbreviated five-inning affair as Krehbiel drove in four and Daphne Plummer collected three hits.
 
Game two went to the Sycamores, 7-3, as Indiana State scratched four runs across in the first and held off the Bears late. Shaw went 3-for-3 for MSU in the second game.
 
"Obviously I was very proud of how we came out in game one and sprayed the ball all over the field, got the early lead and did what we needed to do," said MSU head coach Holly Hesse. "We let Indiana State set the pace in game two which is difficult to overcome when you're on the road. They are a good team, so credit them for coming out in game two like they did.
 
"I was really proud of some good individual performances today. Rocket (Hunsaker) threw effectively in the first game, Gracie (Johnston) pitched well for us in both games. Olivia (Krehbiel) showed some power and some clutch hitting, and Skyler Shaw really had a good day for us. Definitely some things we can build on for tomorrow."
 
The teams will conclude the three-game series Sunday at 10 a.m. (Central) with a single game at Price Field.
 
 
Game 1
Missouri State 11, Indiana State 1 (5 innings)
 
Missouri State scored six runs in the first, collected 11 hits and cruised to an 11-1 victory in game one.
 
Olivia Krehbiel was 2-for-2 with a walk and four RBI, while Daphne Plummer was 3-for-3 with two RBI a pair of stolen bases to pace the game one victory.
 
The Bears wasted little time getting the upper hand in the series, pushing half a dozen runs across in the top of the first to set a blistering pace. MSU sent 11 hitters to the plate in the opening inning and got two doubles from Plummer as part of a five-hit frame.
 
Krehbiel's bases-loaded walk got Missouri State on the board first before Darian Frost drove home two more with a single. Alex Boze then smashed a base hit to center to score Frost and make it 4-0. Plummer's second double of the inning later plated Boze and Annie Mueller to give the visitors the big opening inning.
 
Indiana State responded with a solo home run by Bella Peterson in the bottom of the first, her seventh of the season, but MSU starter Madison Hunsaker cruised from there. She struck out three in the first, allowed just four hits in 4.0 innings of work and improved to 9-4 on the season.
 
Gracie Johnston pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning in relief.
 
Missouri State added two runs in the second on RBI hits from Krehbiel and Kelly Metter, then posted three more in the third on a sac fly from Hunsaker and a two-run homer by Krehbiel – her third of the season.
 
Peterson finished with two hits for the Sycamores who used four pitchers. Starter Gabbi Schnaiter (6-7) faced just three hitters and threw 15 pitches but was tagged with the loss.  
 
 
Game 2
Indiana State 7, Missouri State 3
 
A fast start by the Sycamores was the difference in game two as the home side scored four runs in the first en route to a 7-3 decision.
 
Lexi Benko (5-7) went the distance for ISU, giving up seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
 
Indiana State capitalized on three MSU errors, a pair of doubles and four total hits in the opening inning to take a 4-0 lead and chase Bears starter Steffany Dickerson (8-9) after just five batters.
 
The home side made it 5-0 in the third after Isabella Henning's leadoff double, her second of the game, set the table ahead of a single from Lexie Siwek and a Bears error. Siwek and Henning led three ISU players with multiple hits in the game as they combined with Olivia Patton to lead a nine-hit attack by ISU.
 
The Bears rallied for single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings to make it 5-2 at the time. Krehbiel's second homer of the day led off the fourth, while a fielder's choice by Tess Weakly in the fifth plated Kelsie Lewis to make it a three-run contest.
 
However, a pair of infield hits by Indiana State in the bottom of the sixth set up some insurance runs for the Sycamores. TeAnn Bringle's RBI single and Patton's infield hit loaded the bases with one out to set up a sac fly from Peterson and make it 7-2.
 
The bottom of the order for Missouri State continued to shine in the seventh and give the Bears a chance. Payton Minnis, who was 2-for-2 off the bench, and Skyler Shaw who was 3-for-3, got aboard to start the inning. Then, Plummer's infield hit scored Minnis, but the Bears tried to bring Shaw around on an errant throw into right field, but lost her at the plate on a great play by ISU.
 
Benko put out the fire from there, and the Bears dropped just their second Valley game in the last eight tries.
 
Missouri State's Johnston pitched 5.2 innings in relief, striking out six with a walk and six hits.