Game 1 Highlights | Game 2 Highlights

SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State softball improved to 12-13 (5-2 MVC) on the season with two victories against Valparaiso (9-13, 1-4 MVC) here Saturday. MSU logged an 8-0 run-rule victory in game one, before clinching the series with a 3-2 win in the nightcap.
 
Daphne Plummer led the way for the Bears with four hits on the day for a .571 average, while McKenzie Vaughan went 1-for-3 with four RBI on the afternoon. In the circle, both Steffany Dickerson and Madison Hunsaker posted 0.00 earned run averages and picked up a win, while they also each had two hits at the plate.
 
In game one, the Bears dominated the Beacons with MSU jumping on the board first via an Alex Boze home run to left field, her eighth of the season, in the second inning.
 
After taking a 1-0 lead in the second, the Bears went back to work offensively in the third, scoring three runs to extend their lead to 4-0. Plummer got things started for MSU in the third inning with a single through the right side before also stealing second base. Skyler Shaw walked, then an Olivia Krehbiel fielder's choice put runners on first and second with two outs.
 
Then, freshman McKenzie Vaughan launched her fifth homer of the season, a three-run shot to center field, to put the Bears ahead by three.
 
After a scoreless fourth and fifth inning for both sides, the Bears secured their run-rule victory over the Beacons in the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
Missouri State kicked off the inning with a bang, as Chloe Merced and Dickerson hit back-to-back home runs to give MSU a 6-0 lead over Valparaiso. Merced's solo homer to center field marked the freshman's first career home run.
 
Following a walk and a single, Plummer sent an RBI-double to right center field with no outs on the board to put the Bears just one run away from the run-rule mark. With runners on second and third, freshman Mackenzie Chacon sent a sacrifice fly to right field to score Kenzie Derryberry and give MSU a win in the first game of the afternoon.
 
In the circle for game one, Dickerson threw a four-hit complete game shutout while striking out eight Beacons to improve to 8-5 on the season.
 
Game two saw a much tighter contest, with Missouri State jumping out to an early lead with a run in the home half of the first inning.
 
After a one-two-three inning by the Bear defense to begin the game, Plummer sparked the MSU offense with a leadoff triple, before a Krehbiel squeeze bunt scored Plummer to put the Bears up 1-0.
 
Missouri State tacked on another run in the third inning to extend their lead to 2-0 over Valparaiso. Plummer hit a leadoff single, followed by a Shaw fielder's choice to keep an MSU runner on first. However, Shaw stole second base and advanced to third on an error by the Valparaiso shortstop on the steal attempt.
 
Krehbiel then walked and stole second to give Missouri State runners on second and third with one out. Vaughan came up to the plate and sent a sacrifice fly to left field to increase the MSU lead.
 
Valparaiso had an answer though, scoring their only two runs of the day in the top of the fourth inning. The Beacons used two singles and took advantage of a Bear error to score two runs and tie the game at 2-2 after four innings.
 
Missouri State scored what would be the winning run in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Krehbiel launched a ball over the left center field fence with two outs to put the Bears ahead for good.
 
Madison Hunsaker improved to 4-3 on the season with a three-hit complete game effort in the circle to secure the series win for the Bears.
 
Missouri State will close out the series against Valparaiso tomorrow (March 27) at 12 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN3.
 
The Bears will also be hosting a free youth clinic following tomorrow's game. Children must be 12 years of age or younger, must bring a water bottle and bringing a glove is encouraged.