NASHVILLE – Missouri State softball earned its 10^th win of the season here Saturday afternoon with a 6-1 win at Belmont. 
 
The Bears (10-26, 6-10 MVC) got off to a quick start with a leadoff single, but a double play on a line out proved costly for Missouri State in the first. Belmont was only able to manage a couple of baserunners in the bottom half as the game was scoreless through one. 
 
Belmont (25-11, 11-4 MVC) struck first in this one with a double and RBI single to lead off the second, but that's the only run the Bruins would get on the afternoon. 
 
The big momentum swing happened in the top of the third as Kenzie Derryberry knocked a leadoff double to get the Bears offense rolling. An Ellie McCoy one-out single to left field set the stage for Kayla Ulrich as she launched her fifth home run of the season to give the Bears a 3-0 lead. 
 
The Bears added a run in the fourth with Derryberry knocking her second hit of the day, this time an RBI single that was placed perfectly in shallow left field, to score pinch runner Taylor Akers from second base. 
 
Missouri State kept the foot on the gas in the fifth inning, posting two more runs to extend the lead yet again. After two quick outs to begin the fifth, Ulrich and Mueller logged consecutive hits, a single and a double respectively, to put Bears on second and third. Designated player Sidney McLaughlin then sent a pitch to right center field, driving in two runs and stretching the MSU lead to 6-1. 
 
Gracie Johnston and the Bears defense scattered four hits over the final five innings and Johnston came up with a huge swinging strikeout to end the fifth with two runners on. Johnston earned the complete victory, allowing just one earned run on six hits and striking out one. 
 
Offensively, Ulrich led the way for the Bears after going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs scored, a double and a homer. Derryberry logged multiple hits on the day with a 2-for-3 showing at the plate that included an RBI, a double and a run scored. 
 
The victory for MSU in game two tied the series, forcing a rubber match tomorrow (April 14). First pitch between the Bears and Bruins is set for 12 p.m. and the game will stream on ESPN+.