Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Season Stats
 
SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State pitchers allowed just one run in 17 innings of work here Friday to help lift the softball Bears to a doubleheader sweep of visiting Evansville, 1-0 and 6-1.
 
The Bears (25-16, 16-6 MVC) moved into second place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with the sweep, which included a 10-inning shutout in the opener.
 
"What a tremendous day for our pitching staff to allow just one run in 17 innings and secure our fourth straight MVC series victory. Gracie just gave us everything she had in game one, and I was so proud of the maturity she showed keeping a veteran team off balance all afternoon.  In game two, our hitters did a nice job of getting us the early lead and then turning the ball over to Steff (Dickerson). She was really good today, and when she got in trouble, she found a way to get us out of it. It was so good to see her out there throwing with power and confidence."

Daphne Plummer collected four hits on the day, including an RBI triple in the second game. Gracie Johnston pitched 8.2 scoreless innings in relief to secure the game one victory, while Steffany Dickerson threw a complete-game with six strikeouts in game two.
 
Holly Hesse's squad honored its three departing seniors – Darian Frost, Carolyn Stock and Madison Orr – in Senior Day ceremonies throughout the afternoon.
 
Missouri State and Evansville will complete the three-game series Saturday at 11 a.m. at Killian Stadium, weather permitting. Please follow @MSUSoftball on Twitter for weather updates.
 
Game 1
Missouri State 1, Evansville 0 (10 innings)
 
After MSU starter Madison Hunsaker was drilled on her pitching arm with one out in the top of the second, Gracie Johnston (7-3) came on in relief for the Bears and allowed just three hits and no runs for the next 8.2 innings of work in a 1-0, 10-inning victory for Missouri State.
 
Olivia Krehbiel's bases-loaded walk with no outs in the bottom of the 10^th walked off the victory for Missouri State.
 
Neither team had a hit until the third when UE's No. 9 hitter Jenna Lis led the inning off with the first of her two doubles on the game. She also led off the fifth with a double, and in both instances, Johnston rose to the occasion for MSU, retiring the top three Evansville hitters in order to end the threats.
 
The Bears also broke up Izzy Vetter's no-hitter with their No. 9 hitter as Payton Minnis two-out single in the fifth looked like it might also break up the shutout. However, Bailey Greenlee – who walked to start the inning -- was thrown out at the plate on the play to retire the side.
 
Missouri State also threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs after Plummer's bunt single was followed by walks to Skyler Shaw and Krehbiel. But Vetter induced a couple of fly balls and a strikeout to extinguish the Bears rally.
 
Vetter (13-11) struck out 14 hitters and surrendered just 5 hits for the visitors in a complete-game effort.
 
The Bears drew 5 walks and stranded 11 runners in game one.
 
Game 2
Missouri State 6, Evansville 1
 
The Bears exploded for four runs in the bottom of the first inning and cruised to a 6-1 victory in game two.
 
A two-run homer by Krehbiel in the first gave MSU an early advantage the Aces would never overcome. Her fifth dinger of the season was preceded by infield hit by Plummer and a walk to Shaw. Later in the frame, Darian Frost doubled ahead of an RBI hit from Tess Weakly to chase Evansville starter Jaime Nurrenbern.
 
In the second, the Bears tacked on two more runs to put things out of reach. Plummer drove home Annie Mueller with her fifth triple of the season. Two batters later, Krehbiel's RBI hit made it a 6-0 game.
 
MSU starter Steffany Dickerson (9-9) cruised from there, collecting 6 strikeouts and walking just 2 in her first complete game since a win at Valparaiso on April 17.
 
The only blemish on Dickerson's ledger was a two-out, solo homer by UE first baseman Bella Coffey in the fourth, her second home run of the year.
 
Plummer finished 2-for-3 for the home side, while Krehbiel went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI.
 
After leaving game one for precautionary reasons, Hunsaker started game two at first base for the Bears before tagging in senior Carolyn Stock for a pinch-hitting appearance in the fifth.
 
Coffey and Jessica Fehr had a pair of hits for the Purple Aces.