Saturday, March 26
Springfield
2:00 p.m.
Missouri State University
vs
Valparaiso
Softball Bears Welcome Beacons to Close Home Stand
March 23, 2022 | Softball
*Saturday's doubleheader moved to 2 p.m.*
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The Starting Lineup - Storylines for the Valparaiso Series
? Â Â Â Missouri State concludes an eight-game home stand this weekend as the Bears host Valparaiso in a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series at Killian Stadium in Springfield. The Bears are coming off their first MVC series win this season after taking the final two games against Illinois State. Both of their wins over the Redbirds came in walk-off fashion with a 3-2 victory in 11 innings in game one and a two-run seventh inning to secure the 2-1 victory in the nightcap.Â
? Â Â Â The Bears enter the weekend ranked 2nd in the MVC in fielding percentage (.967) with just 23 errors in 698 chances through 23 games.
? Â Â Â Â Cardiac Bears - Of their 10 wins this season, 6 of the Bears' victories have been of the come-from-behind variety.Â
? Â Â Â Missouri State is 7-1 this season when allowing 3 runs or less and 9-1 in games decided by one or two runs.Â
?     Last week, Steffany Dickerson (Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla.) led the Bears in the circle with 26.0 innings pitched in just two starts. Dickerson went 1-1 last week after taking the 6-2 loss in a 15-inning complete-game effort against Southern Illinois, before earning a 3-2 victory in an 11-inning complete-game performance against Illinois State. In both starts, Dickerson struck out 12 batters, which set and matched her career high. She leads the Bears with 7 wins and a 2.89 ERA this season.
? Â Â Â Daphne Plummer (Sr., Lee's Summit, Mo.) sits in second place in program history with 210 career hits after a five-hit performance last week to open MVC play. She is 42 hits shy of tying All-American Barb Gaines' record of 252 career hits, which she set from 1990-1993.
? Â Â Â Â MSU's 2022 schedule features 8 teams that appeared in the 2021 NCAA Tournament (Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Kennesaw State, Wichita State, UNI and Southern Illinois), four of which were ranked in the USA Softball Preseason Top 25 (#4 Oklahoma State, #9 Arkansas, #21 Arizona State and #25 Wichita State).
? Â Â Â Â Payton Minnis (Sr., Blue Springs, Mo.) tops the MVC in sac bunts with 6 on the season. Minnis ranks 13th nationally with 0.27 sac bunts per game and also ranks third on the team with 25 assists this season. In last weekend's series finale against the Redbirds, Minnis played in her 100th career game, which includes 83 career starts.
? Â Â Â Â Alex Boze (Sr., Swansea, Ill.), is 1 RBI away from 50 for her career (115 games). She tops The Valley in slugging percentage (.792), OPS (1.230) and home runs (7) heading into the weekend.
Series History
Missouri State leads the all-time series against Valparaiso, 7-4. The Bears are 1-2 against the Beacons at Killian Stadium.
Last season, the Bears swept the three-game series at Valparaiso (April 17 & 18), which included 8-0 run-rule victories in the final two games of the series.Â
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| Missouri State Bears (10-13, 3-2 MVC) vs. Valparaiso Beacons (9-11, 1-2 MVC) | |
| Dates | Saturday, March 26 |Â 2:00 p.m. (Doubleheader) Sunday, March 27 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Location | Killian Stadium (1,200) | Springfield, Missouri |
| Tickets | Free Admission |
| Promotions | Saturday - Future Bear Day (Giveaway - must have Future Bears member card) Sunday - Free Youth Clinic - Children 12 or younger (Must bring a water bottle and are encouraged to bring a glove) |
| Follow | ESPN3 | Live Stats | Twitter Watch Game 1 | Watch Game 2 | Watch Game 3 |
| Missouri State | Game Notes (PDF) | Softball Home Page | Media Guide | Flip Card |
| Valparaiso | Softball Home Page |
| Up Next | Saturday, April 2 at UNI (DH) | 12:00 p.m. Sunday, April 3 at UNI | 12:00 p.m. |
The Starting Lineup - Storylines for the Valparaiso Series
? Â Â Â Missouri State concludes an eight-game home stand this weekend as the Bears host Valparaiso in a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series at Killian Stadium in Springfield. The Bears are coming off their first MVC series win this season after taking the final two games against Illinois State. Both of their wins over the Redbirds came in walk-off fashion with a 3-2 victory in 11 innings in game one and a two-run seventh inning to secure the 2-1 victory in the nightcap.Â
? Â Â Â The Bears enter the weekend ranked 2nd in the MVC in fielding percentage (.967) with just 23 errors in 698 chances through 23 games.
? Â Â Â Â Cardiac Bears - Of their 10 wins this season, 6 of the Bears' victories have been of the come-from-behind variety.Â
? Â Â Â Missouri State is 7-1 this season when allowing 3 runs or less and 9-1 in games decided by one or two runs.Â
?     Last week, Steffany Dickerson (Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla.) led the Bears in the circle with 26.0 innings pitched in just two starts. Dickerson went 1-1 last week after taking the 6-2 loss in a 15-inning complete-game effort against Southern Illinois, before earning a 3-2 victory in an 11-inning complete-game performance against Illinois State. In both starts, Dickerson struck out 12 batters, which set and matched her career high. She leads the Bears with 7 wins and a 2.89 ERA this season.
? Â Â Â Daphne Plummer (Sr., Lee's Summit, Mo.) sits in second place in program history with 210 career hits after a five-hit performance last week to open MVC play. She is 42 hits shy of tying All-American Barb Gaines' record of 252 career hits, which she set from 1990-1993.
? Â Â Â Â MSU's 2022 schedule features 8 teams that appeared in the 2021 NCAA Tournament (Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Kennesaw State, Wichita State, UNI and Southern Illinois), four of which were ranked in the USA Softball Preseason Top 25 (#4 Oklahoma State, #9 Arkansas, #21 Arizona State and #25 Wichita State).
? Â Â Â Â Payton Minnis (Sr., Blue Springs, Mo.) tops the MVC in sac bunts with 6 on the season. Minnis ranks 13th nationally with 0.27 sac bunts per game and also ranks third on the team with 25 assists this season. In last weekend's series finale against the Redbirds, Minnis played in her 100th career game, which includes 83 career starts.
? Â Â Â Â Alex Boze (Sr., Swansea, Ill.), is 1 RBI away from 50 for her career (115 games). She tops The Valley in slugging percentage (.792), OPS (1.230) and home runs (7) heading into the weekend.
Series History
Missouri State leads the all-time series against Valparaiso, 7-4. The Bears are 1-2 against the Beacons at Killian Stadium.
Last season, the Bears swept the three-game series at Valparaiso (April 17 & 18), which included 8-0 run-rule victories in the final two games of the series.Â
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
2B
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballMonday, June 08
Saturday, May 30
Saturday, May 30
Thursday, May 28
