SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State softball moved to 17-30 (13-13 MVC) on the season with a Friday doubleheader split against Indiana State (19-29, 7-16 MVC).
Game 1 – Missouri State 4, Indiana State 2
Missouri State picked up a series-opening win in the final weekend of regular season action.
The Bears got things going in the bottom of the second inning with back-to-back infield singles courtesy of Emily Chadwick and Kelsie Lewis. Catcher Alexis Perales then drew a walk to load the bases full of Bears. Following a line out to shortstop for the second out of the inning, Olivia Krehbiel delivered the clutch hit, launching her fourth career grand slam to give the Bears the lead. The four-RBI shot made history as Krehbiel now owns the most career RBI in program history (128).
It turns out that’s all the runs that the Bears would need as Gracie Johnston shut the Sycamores out and allowed just two hits through six innings.
The Bears threatened again in the sixth, loading the bases with two outs on a Chloe Merced infield single to third base. Unfortunately, a ground out ending the inning as the Bears looked to close it out in the seventh.
Indiana State didn’t go down quietly, though, getting hit by a pitch to lead off the inning before a double and sacrifice fly pushed across the Sycamores’ first run of the game. After a called strike three, a single to left center cut MSU’s lead to two. Johnston bounced right back to get the strikeout swinging to end the game and secure the 4-2 win.
Johnston tossed the complete game and earned the victory, allowing just two earned runs and four hits while striking out two on the afternoon. Offensively, Krehbiel went 2-for-4 with those important four RBI on the grand slam swing. Lewis and Chadwick also collected two hits in game one.
Game 2 – Indiana State 6, Missouri State 5
The Bears defense struggled early in game two of the doubleheader, as the Sycamores scored three runs on one hit and three Missouri State errors in the frame.
MSU had a good response to the rough start as Olivia Krehbiel knocked a leadoff double. The two-bagger for Krehbiel was another record-breaking moment as she became the program’s career doubles leader (46). A Kayla Ulrich single to left field scored Krehbiel to put MSU on the board. The Bears loaded the bases after a Kenzie Derryberry single down the left field line and a Chadwick walk. Lewis was then patient at the plate in a veteran at-bat, drawing the bases-loaded walk to make it 3-2 after one inning.
Back-to-back strikeouts started the second, but an error on the dropped third strike on the second batter sparked another big inning for the Sycamores. A single and a walk loaded the bases for Indiana State, before back-to-back singles scored three runs. MSU got out the inning by gunning down the runner attempting to go to third on the RBI single.
Trailing 6-2 as the game entered the fourth, Missouri State got a spark with a Lewis leadoff triple. Lewis eventually scored on a wild pitch, making it a 6-3 ballgame.
After a three-up, three-down inning for Makenzi Swick in the fifth, the Bears kept chipping away. Two singles and a walk in the inning loaded the bases yet again. Perales then sent a laser to left field with a double off the wall, scoring two runs. The Bears took a chance and tried to tie it up on the double, but the runner was thrown out at home as MSU trailed 6-5 after five innings.
Swick continued to keep the Sycamores at bay, but the Bears weren’t able to push a run across in the sixth or seventh, ultimately falling 6-5.
Three Bears had multiple hits in game two, with Perales leading the way with two RBI. Lewis continued her good day at the plate with a 1-for-1 outing that included an RBI, a run scored and two walks. In the circle, Swick was great in relief as she tossed 5.0 innings, allowing no earned runs on four hits while striking out three.
Missouri State and Indiana State will face off in the rubber match tomorrow at a new time of 1:00 p.m. at Killian Stadium in Springfield. It marks the final home game of the season for the Bears and the final home of game of head coach Holly Hesse’s career. The game will stream on ESPN+.
