SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri State softball (16-15, 6-2 MVC) secured its second consecutive Missouri Valley Conference series sweep with a 3-0 victory over Evansville (15-14, 1-5 MVC) here Sunday afternoon.
The Bears and Purple Aces were once again locked in a low-scoring affair as MSU knocked a couple of timely hits to ultimately secure the win.
Each team managed a couple of base runners in the first two innings, but it wasn’t until the third inning that the Bears were able to put the first run on the board. With two outs in the home half of the third, Olivia Krehbiel drew a walk and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Tess Weakly then came to the plate and knocked a single up the middle, scoring Krehbiel as MSU took a 1-0 lead. The Bears would work two more walks in the frame to load the bases, but following an Evansville pitching change, MSU lined out to end the inning.
Following a quiet fourth inning, Evansville hit a lead-off single to center field, but MSU didn’t allow the Purple Aces to start a rally, as Mackenzie Chacon and the Bear defense retired the next three batters in order.
The Bears carried the momentum into the bottom of the fifth with Krehbiel reaching on an Evansville fielding error to lead things off. Weakly took advantage of the opportunity with runners on base once again, launching a two-run shot to center field to collect two more RBI and extend MSU’s lead to 3-0 heading to the sixth inning.
Chacon and Co. retired the Purple Aces in order in the top of the sixth and worked around a one-out double in the top of the seventh to secure the series sweep and MSU’s seventh consecutive victory.
At the plate, Weakly led the way for the Bears with a 3-for-3 outing as she drove in all three of MSU’s runs on the day. Chacon and Annie Mueller collected Missouri State’s other two hits on the afternoon, while Krehbiel scored two runs.
Chacon (4-3) earned her fourth win of the season in the circle, tossing a complete-game shutout. The sophomore lefty allowed just four hits, walked one and struck out three Purple Aces en route to the win.
Missouri State will hit the road next weekend as the Bears travel to take on Valparaiso in a three-game MVC series from March 31-April 2. First pitch for the series opener on Friday, March 31 is set for 3 p.m. CT.
