SectionsBears rip off 5 of 6 over spring break
Leah Randazzo
Issue date: 3/31/09 Section: Sports
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Nearing the midway point of conference play, the Bears are 4-4 in the Valley and 14-13 overall on the season.
During spring break, the Bears went 5-1. Missouri State swept a three-game series at Indiana State (March 21 to 22), beat Kansas March 24, then split a doubleheader with Wichita State March 26.
The Bears' doubleheader with Drake on Saturday was canceled due to unplayable field conditions caused by rain.
Missouri State will be in action again this Thursday, hosting Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at 4 p.m. at Killian Softball Complex.
Pitching power
The softball Bears have yet to have trouble from the pitcher's mound early in MVC play. In fact, pitching has carried the Bears during their 5-1 stretch.
Junior pitcher Lauren McGinley was named Prairie Farms Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week for March 16 to 22 after throwing back-to-back shutouts to end the series sweep at Indiana State.
McGinley went 2-0 with a 1.07 earned-run average in three starts last week.
Junior pitcher Lauren Supac played a pivotal role in the Bears' doubleheader split at Wichita State Thursday.
After losing 6-2 in the first game of the doubleheader, Supac held the Shockers to just five hits in a 5-0 win while earning her first shutout as a Bear.
Smith keys offense
Senior shortstop Jessie Smith continues to lead the Missouri State offense, coming into the weekend atop the MVC leader board in hitting with an average of .447, 11 steals and a .505 on-base percentage. She is also second in slugging percentage at .765 with 38 hits.
Senior Ashley Arbon has hit safely in a career-best six straight games, batting .350 (7-for-20) with four RBIs over the course of the six games. Sophomore Jenna Schwark has a four-game hit streak going, while Smith has hit in five consecutive contests.
You're out
Senior first baseman Jana Shewmaker had a record-setting day in the field against Iowa State last week with an all-time Missouri State University single-game high of 22 putouts.
That number also happens to be the third-highest total putouts by a Valley player since 2001. As a team, Missouri State's 39 putouts in 13 innings against the Cyclones passed its previous single-game record of 37, set in the Bears' only other 13-inning contest on record (3/24/92 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette).
Free Clinics
All girls ages 8 to 13 are eligible to attend two free clinics, which will be held on the field at Killian following the Bears' noon contests against Evansville on April 19 and Creighton on April 26. These clinics will be sponsored by the Missouri State softball Bears and the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.
According to the news release, the instructional sessions will be conducted by members of the Missouri State softball team and coaching staff focusing on the basic skills of softball.
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