TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Missouri State softball (12-27, 10-7 MVC) bounced back to tie the series at Indiana State (13-26, 7-7 MVC) with a 6-3 victory here Saturday afternoon.
 
The Bears jumped on the Sycamores immediately, posting a five-run first inning. Chloe Merced set the tone by drawing a walk to lead off the game, before Kenzie Derryberry sent a single up the middle. With one out on the board, Alexis Perales added a single to load the bases full of Bears. MoState kept rolling as Riley Baber knocked an RBI double and Sidney McLaughlin sent an RBI single to right field in back-to-back at-bats to put the Bears up 3-0. Following a walk and a fielder's choice, McKenzie Vaughan, the ninth batter of the inning for MoState, stepped up and sent a two-RBI single to left field for a 5-0 lead after one.
 
Indiana State tallied a run in the bottom of the first via three hits and a MoState error. After both squads were held scoreless in the second and Missouri State didn't take advantage of leadoff double in the third inning, the Sycamores pulled closer in the bottom half of the third as back-to-back singles and a one-out RBI double pushed across two more Indiana State runs as the Sycamores cut it to a 5-3 game. 
 
Both teams were held in check in the fourth and fifth innings, before the MoState offense broke through once again in the sixth inning. After two outs to begin the sixth, the Bears strung together a single and worked a walk, before Merced knocked an RBI single to left field to extend the lead to 6-3. 
 
Indiana State got a runner to third base in the bottom of the sixth after a bunt single, a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. Then, Baber made a great play on a grounder, tagging the runner and throwing the other Sycamore runner out at home for the double play to get out of the inning. With the Bears needing three outs in the bottom of the seventh to secure the victory, Makenzi Swick and Co. retired the Sycamores in order en route to a 6-3 win. 
 
Swick earned the victory in the circle after coming on in relief and hurling 4.2 scoreless innings. She scattered four hits while striking out four Sycamores on the afternoon. Offensively, Baber and Vaughan led the way after driving in two runs each. Perales tallied a multiple-hit performance as eight different Bears logged hits on the day. 
 
The Bears and Sycamores will face off in the rubber match tomorrow (April 13) in Terre Haute. First pitch in the series finale is set for 11:00 a.m. CT.