MURRAY, Ky. – Missouri State (10-22, 8-3 MVC) split Friday's doubleheader on the road at Murray State (11-20, 2-9 MVC). The Bears started the day off with a 4-0 win before falling 4-3 in eight innings in the nightcap. 
 
Game 1 – Missouri State 4, Murray State 0
Missouri State was able to clinch its third Missouri Valley Conference series win with a 4-0 victory in the opening game of the day. It was the long ball that powered MoState to a win as two homers accounted for all four runs. 
 
The Bears and Racers each stranded two runners across the first two innings, before Missouri State broke through in the top of the third. With two outs on the board, McKenzie Vaughan launched a solo home run over the fence in left field to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. 
 
Mackenzie Chacon and the MoState defense allowed just two baserunners from the third through sixth innings, holding the Racers at bay until the Bears took a comfortable lead in the top of the seventh. Missouri State put together a two-out rally after Halle Studer drew a walk and Alexis Perales reached on an error to get things going for the Bears. Then, Chloe Merced added the Bears' second homer of the day, a three-run shot over the wall in left center field. 
 
The Bears retired the Racers in order in the home half of the seventh to secure a 4-0 win and earn the series victory. 
 
Chacon earned the win in the circle after tossing the complete-game shutout. She allowed just four hits and struck out three Racers in 7.0 innings of work. 
 
Game 2 (8 Innings) – Murray State 4, Missouri State 3
The nightcap provided the dramatics as the teams needed extra innings to decide a winner. 
 
Missouri State kept the momentum going early in game two, scoring a run in the top of the first. Taylor Akers knocked a leadoff double and immediately stole third base to set up MoState in prime scoring position with a runner on third and no outs. After two outs, Perales drove her in with a double to left center field to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. 
 
The Racers answered in the bottom of the second inning, utilizing three hits to push a run across and tie the game at 1-1. 
 
After scoreless innings in both the third and fourth, both squads posted runs in the fifth. Romine reached on error to lead off the inning, before a sacrifice bunt and a single put runners on the corners with one out. MoState's first run in the frame came on a throwing error by the Murray State catcher, then Akers sent a single to left field to drive in the second run of the frame. 
 
Murray State then tacked on one run in the bottom of the fifth off back-to-back singles to make it a one run game with MoState leading 3-2. 
 
The squads traded baserunners in the sixth, before Murray State tied it up in the bottom of the seventh. After a single and a walk, the Racers knocked another single, but MoState threw out the runner heading home with a great 7-6-2 relay. Murray State then tied the ballgame with a sacrifice fly to right field to send the game to extra innings. 
 
That's when the momentum changed hands as MoState went down in order with three consecutive foul outs in the top of the eighth. 
 
From there, the Racers knocked a double and drew a two-out walk. A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third before an RBI single through the left side ended the game as Murray State walked it off in the eighth, defeating the Bears, 4-3. 
 
Akers led the way with two hits, while she and Perales tallied RBI in the contest. The Bears knocked four doubles on the evening. 
 
UP NEXT: The Bears will travel to Missouri on Tuesday, April 2 for a midweek matchup. First pitch between Missouri State and the Tigers is set for 6:00 p.m. and the game will stream on ESPN+.