Bears Softball Set for MVC Softball Championship

The Starting Lineup – Storylines for the MVC Softball Championship

• Missouri State will host the MVC Softball Championship for the first time since 2011, also marking the last time the Bears won the tournament. MSU enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed after finishing the regular season with a 25-18 overall record and an 18-7 record in the MVC.
• In the last two seasons, the Bears are 8-0-1 in MVC series at Killian Stadium in Springfield. Their last MVC series loss at home came back in 2019 (April 27-28) vs. Drake. 
• MSU is 20-4 this season when allowing 3 runs or less and the Bears have outscored MVC foes 114-63 this season.
• The Bears own the top fielding percentage in the MVC this season at .973, a mark that also ranks 24th in the nation. MSU has committed just 33 errors in 1236 total chances. 
• Steffany Dickerson (Sr., Oklahoma, City, Okla.), the MVC Pitcher of the Year, finished the season with a league-leading 0.87 ERA in conference games with teams hitting just .194 against her. She tied for the conference lead with 13 Valley wins and 2 saves. Overall this season, Dickerson owns a 19-7 record and 1.68 ERA, has thrown 13 complete games and 6 shutouts and has struck out 152 batters. 
• MSU’s 2022 schedule featured 8 teams that appeared in the 2021 NCAA Tournament (Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Kennesaw State, Wichita State, UNI and Southern Illinois), three of which currently rank inside the Top 10 in the USA Softbal Poll (#4 Arizona State, #5 Arkansas and #8 Oklahoma State).
• In MSU’s last 10 games, Olivia Krehbiel (Jr., Lee’s Summit, Mo.), who earned a spot on the All-MVC second team, leads the Bears with a .423 batting average and 1.115 slugging percentage. In that span, she has knocked 9 extra-base hits, including 4 home runs to bring her season total to nine long balls, while driving in a team-high 11 runs. 
• Madison Hunsaker (Sr., Peculiar, Mo.), a member of the All-MVC first team, paced the Bears against Valley opponents this season with a .360 average and 8 doubles. She finished the year ranked inside the top 10 in doubles (4th), average (9th) and hits (10th – 27) in MVC play. Overall, Hunsaker hit .325 in the regular season and is one of just two Bears with 40+ hits.
• Daphne Plummer (Sr., Lee’s Summit, Mo.) earned her first nod to the All-MVC first team after leading the Bears with 31 hits, 16 runs and 20 stolen bases against MVC foes. She also leads the team with a .361 average, 30 runs, 53 hits and 28 stolen bases in 2022.
• Alex Boze (Sr., Swansea, Ill.) was selected to the MVC All-Defensive Team. In MVC play, she committed just one error in 162 total chances behind the plate. Boze owns a team-leading 11 home runs this season. 

MVC Tournament History
    Missouri State is 73-49 (.598) all time in Gateway/MVC Tournament games, the most of any conference team. The Bears have garnered 6 conference titles, which ties with Illinois State and Creighton for the most conference tournament titles. 
    MSU last won the MVC Tournament championship in 2011, which was also the last time the tournament was hosted in Springfield.