Bears Best Braves for 11th Consecutive MVC Series Victory

SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State softball recorded its 11^th consecutive Missouri Valley Conference series win as the Bears improved to 24-16 (17-5 MVC) on the season with a 6-0 victory on Sunday afternoon against Bradley (24-23, 12-12 MVC). 
 
Madison Hunsaker continued swinging a hot bat, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored on the afternoon. Olivia Krehbiel also drove in two runs with a two-run homer, her ninth long ball of the season.
 
Steffany Dickerson recorded her 500^th career strikeout in the complete game shutout.
 
In MSU’s series-clinching victory, the Bears dominated the day, scoring runs in four straight innings. Missouri State jumped on the board first with a run in the second inning following a walk and three singles, with Kelsie Lewis recording the RBI. 
 
In the third, Daphne Plummer drew a leadoff walk and immediately stole second, which Hunsaker followed up with an RBI double to right center. Two batters later, with a runner on second, Krehbiel launched her ninth homer of the season to put MSU up 4-0. 
 
The Bears tacked on a single run in both the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, Plummer knocked a double to right field and stole third to once again set up Hunsaker for an RBI opportunity. Hunsaker delivered with her second double of the game to extend the lead.
 
In the fifth inning, the Bears put runners on first and second via a hit by pitch and a single, before senior Payton Minnis sent an RBI single up the middle to cap off her senior weekend by pushing the Bears ahead by six runs. 
 
In the circle, Dickerson kept Bradley off the board with a complete game shutout. She allowed just seven hits and struck out 10 Braves en route to her 19^th win of the season, which is just one victory shy of tying her career high. 
 
Missouri State will close out the regular season next week with a three-game series at Drake. The doubleheader to open the series is set for Friday, May 6 with first pitch at 12 p.m.