SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State softball secured a doubleheader split with visiting Kennesaw State here Saturday to earn the series victory over the Owls.
 
The Bears (13-13, 2-4 CUSA) collected 16 hits on the day and parlayed the momentum of Friday night's 8-0 win to secure their first-ever Conference USA series win. Kennesaw stole Saturday's first game, 11-5, before the Bears bounced back with a 4-1 victory in the rubber game to clinch the series.
 
Mo State will resume action next Friday through Sunday at Delaware as the Bears continue conference action.
 
GAME 1
Kennesaw State 11, Missouri State 5
 
Kennesaw State overcame a late Bears advantage with two runs in the sixth and seven more in the seventh inning to steal an 11-5 victory in the doubleheader opener.
 
Jojo Johnson's seventh-inning grand slam for the Owls put things out of reach.
 
Mo State starter Rylee Brewster was chased in the second after issuing a bases-loaded walk to give the Owls an early 1-0 lead. Makenzi Swick quickly put out the bases-loaded, nobody-out fire with a pair of strikeouts and a flyout to end the early threat.
 
The Bears responded with a three-run fourth behind RBI singles from Sofia King and pinch hitter Sidney McLaughlin before King Stole home ahead of the final out of the inning.
 
KSU added a single tally in the fifth on a two-out error and then pulled ahead 4-3 with an RBI hit from Macie Howes and a sac fly from Ana Gore in the sixth. Then, in the seventh, the Owls plated three more ahead of Johnson's grand slam to lead 11-3.
 
The Bears ended the game on a high note after a two-run single from Lauren Rowland plated two for the home squad in the bottom of the seventh.
 
King led the Bears with a 3-for-3 effort in game one, while Brynn Romine and Rowland added two hits apiece, and Swick struck out three in relief.
 
 
Game 2
Missouri State 4, Kennesaw State 1
 
The Bears got 5.0 strong innings from starter Emily Koranda (7-6) and a couple of strong innings in relief from Swick to secure a 4-1 victory in the nightcap.
 
McLaughlin's sac fly in the fourth gave the Bears a 1-0 lead before KSU's Hannah Harvey tied it in the fifth with an RBI double.
 
Mo State's Halle Studer rapped an RBI double to right in the bottom of the fifth to score Romine and give the maroon side the lead for good, 2-1.
 
Swick gave up just one hit in 2.0 innings in relief, and Romine provided some insurance in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run single to give the Bears a 4-1 cushion.
 
Romine finished 3-for-3 in game two and reached base four times.