SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State softball (25-16, 15-3 MVC) earned the series-opening victory against Belmont (23-18, 8-9 MVC) with a 5-3 victory here Friday night at Killian Stadium.
Sophomore Mackenzie Chacon (7-3) tossed a complete game, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out a career-high seven batters in the victory. She also helped her own cause at the plate, knocking an RBI single to left center in the third inning.
At the plate, Olivia Krehbiel and McKenzie Vaughan provided the fireworks with a homer each to combine for three RBI. Tess Weakly also logged an RBI, while Kenzie Derryberry secured a multiple-hit game with a 2-for-3 outing.
After a quiet start to the game with two scoreless inning for both sides, Missouri State broke through first with a run in the bottom of the third inning. Following an Annie Mueller one-out walk and a Belmont error, Chacon knocked a pinch-hit, RBI single to left center field to push the first run across.
In a back-and-forth battle, the Bruins answered with two runs in the fourth inning. Belmont hit back-to-back singles to lead off the fourth before a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third. Both runs scored in the next at-bat on a MSU fielding error to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
The Bears didn’t let the momentum swing last for long as Krehbiel came up in the home half of the fourth and knocked a one-out solo homer to left field to tie the game at 2-2. Derryberry followed up Krehbiel’s moonshot with a single before she scored from first on a Weakly RBI single to right center as the Bears retook the lead, 3-2, with four innings in the books.
With both teams going down quietly in the fifth, Belmont took advantage of a leadoff walk, sending an RBI double to left center two batters later to tie the game at 3-3 halfway through the sixth.
Missouri State didn’t waste any time as they came to the plate, with Ellie McCoy reaching on an error to begin the bottom of the sixth. Vaughan then strolled to the dish and launched the first pitch she saw over the wall in left field to give MSU a two-run advantage heading into the final inning.
Chacon polished off the complete game after retiring the Bruins in order in the seventh to secure the 5-3 victory for the Bears in the series opener. MSU improved to 12-0 at home and extended their home win streak to 15 games, dating back to last season.
The Bears and Bruins will face off again tomorrow (April 22) at Killian Stadium in Springfield. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT and the game will stream on ESPN3.
Missouri State will host a free youth clinic following the game, which is free for kids aged 12 and younger. Participants should bring their own gloves.
