The Valpo softball team brought the second weekend of MVC play to a close Sunday afternoon in Springfield, Mo., falling to host Missouri State by an 8-0 final.

How It Happened

• The Bears scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, but Caitlin Kowalski (Temperance, Mich./Notre Dame Academy) stranded the bases loaded with a timely strikeout.
• Madison Wathen (Floyds Knobs, Ind./Floyd Central) entered the circle in relief to start the second inning and proceeded to keep MSU off the board over the next three innings.
• After Valpo had its first 14 batters of the game retired in order, Addi Weaver (Shelbyville, Ind./Shelbyville) knocked a two-out single into left in the top of the fifth for the Beacons’ first baserunner.
• MSU broke the game open in the bottom half with five unearned runs, and then closed out the game in the sixth with an RBI single.

Inside the Game

• After striking out eight times on Saturday against MSU starting pitcher Steffany Dickerson, Valpo batters struck out just twice in five innings against her on Sunday.
• Kowalski was charged with the loss in the circle, falling to 0-2 on the year.
• Kaiah Fenters (Speedway, Ind./Speedway) made the first pitching appearance of her collegiate career.
• Peyton Moeder (Shawnee, Kan./Mill Valley) saw her five-game hitting streak in MVC play come to an end.

Next Up

Valpo (9-14, 1-5 MVC) will step away from conference play briefly and conclude a 24-game road trip to start the 2022 campaign on Tuesday afternoon with a single game at Western Michigan. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT.