CHICAGO – Missouri State softball improved to 21-15 (14-4 MVC) on the season with a 4-1 series-clinching victory at Loyola (13-25, 7-13 MVC) on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Bears have now won 13 of their last 14 multi-game Missouri Valley Conference series.
 
Madison Hunsaker and Olivia Krehbiel led the way for the Bears offensively with two hits each, while Hunsaker also added an RBI.
 
Steffany Dickerson was great in the circle and at the plate. She pitched 5.1 innings in relief, allowing just one earned run on seven hits, while striking out seven Ramblers to improve to 16-6 on the season. Dickerson also went 1-for-3 at the plate with a home run and two RBI.
 
Missouri State and Loyola were locked in a pitcher's duel on Sunday afternoon, with neither team breaking through for a score until the fifth inning. MSU jumped on top first with a two-run fifth.
 
Krehbiel led off the inning with a double down the left field line, before Dickerson knocked a two-run homer two batters later to give MSU the 2-0 lead.
 
Missouri State added a third run in the sixth inning with a Hunsaker leadoff home run. Loyola answered in the home half of the sixth with a run to cut the MSU lead to two runs, following a triple and a single.
 
The Bears added some insurance in the seventh following a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a couple of singles to take a 4-1 lead into the final inning. In the bottom of the seventh, Loyola loaded the bases with three-straight singles to begin the inning, but Dickerson shut them down to secure the win and clinch the series.