TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Missouri State softball (13-27, 11-7 MVC) secured another Missouri Valley Conference series with a 7-3 win over Indiana State (13-27, 7-8 MVC) here on Sunday afternoon. 
 
It took both offenses a little bit of time to find a rhythm in this one as MoState's first scoring opportunity of the day came in the third inning. Lauren Rowland led off the inning with a single to the pitcher before Emily Gerardy moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. A walk and a passed ball then put Bears on second and third base with one out, but Missouri State couldn't take advantage. 
 
The Bears didn't wait long to make the first move after retiring the Sycamores in order in the bottom of the third. 
 
MoState broke through in a big way in the fourth inning, beginning with a Halle Studer leadoff walk. Alexis Perales and Riley Baber then knocked back-to-back singles to push across the first run of the game, and they both advanced on an error during Baber's at-bat. Another passed ball led to a Missouri State run this time and Rowland came to the plate and sent an RBI double to left field to extend the lead to 3-0. A couple of batters later, McKenzie Vaughan drove in a run with a two-out, RBI single to make it a four-run fourth inning for the Bears. 
 
Indiana State didn't go away quietly, though, as the Sycamore offense later responded with a three-run fifth inning to pull within a run of the Bears. Indiana State did most of its damage with two outs. With a runner on, a Sycamore single, a two-RBI triple and an RBI single made it a one-run ballgame. 
 
After both squads posted zeroes in the sixth frame, aided by a big two-out strikeout from Makenzi Swick with an Indiana State runner on third, the Bears added some much-needed insurance runs in the top of the seventh. 
 
Vaughan launched her 28^th career home run, a solo shot over the left field wall to move into solo second place in career homers in program history, to lead off the seventh inning. The Bears kept riding the momentum as Chloe Merced worked a walk and Kenzie Derryberry laid down a bunt for a single. Perales picked up an RBI with a single to second base before Baber drove the Bears' seventh run of the game via an RBI ground out. 
 
Leading 7-3 and needing three outs to secure the series, Swick and the MoState defense closed the door on the Sycamores to improve to 13-27 on the season and 11-7 in league play. 
 
Mackenzie Chacon earned the victory in the circle after allowing three earned runs in 5.0 innings of work, while striking out five Sycamores. Swick tallied her first save of the season after tossing 2.0 hitless innings in relief and tallying three strikeouts. Offensively, Perales, Rowland and Vaughan each logged two hits on the afternoon, while Baber and Vaughan drove in two runs each to lead the squad. 
 
Missouri State will stay on the road for a midweek matchup at Kansas on Tuesday, April 15. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. and the game will stream on ESPN+.