TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State's starting pitching put up a great fight, but the Sycamores were only able to muster three total hits against a dominant Missouri State pitching staff in a doubleheader sweep on Saturday.
 
The Sycamores (16-19, 2-9 MVC) received great outings by both Kenzie Ihle (12-10) and Kylie Stober (1-9), but the Missouri State (20-12, 8-3 MVC) starting duo of Kaitlin Beason (10-6) and Holly Kelley (9-4) threw two complete game victories – with Beason holding the Sycamores hitless until the seventh inning of the first game.
 
Indiana State will wrap up its series against the Bears tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. at Price Field. Fans can watch live on The Valley on ESPN3.
 
Game One:
Missouri State (19-12, 7-3 MVC), 1
Indiana State (16-18, 2-8 MVC), 0
WP: Kaitlin Beason (10-6)
LP: Kenzie Ihle (12-10)
 
Sycamore starter Kenzie Ihle went toe-to-toe with MSU starter Kaitlin Beason, but one pitch was the difference in the game for Ihle and the Sycamores in a 1-0 loss to Missouri State to open the doubleheader.
 
Ihle pitched her seventh complete game of the season, striking out seven and only walking one along the way, but one pitch to MSU's Bethany Sullinger in the top of the sixth inning sailed over the left field wall for the 1-0 lead the Bears needed for the win. Ihle didn't groove it to Sullinger either, as she hit her spot with a low, off-speed pitch, but Sullinger adjusted and golfed it up into the wind and out of the park.
 
That was all Missouri State's Beason needed, as she was unhittable for most of the game. Beason carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, but ISU's Rylee Holland knocked the Sycamores' lone hit of the game into left center to break up the no-hit bid. First base was where Holland would remain, though, as Beason settled in and set down the next three in order.
 
Game Two:
Missouri State (20-12, 8-3 MVC), 2
Indiana State (16-19, 2-9 MVC), 1
WP: Holly Kelley (9-4)
LP: Kylie Stober (1-9)
 
Kylie Stober was equally effective in the circle for the Sycamores in the second game, setting down eight in a row in the middle of the game and only allowing five hits across her sixth complete game of the season, but Missouri State hit when it counted to take Game Two at 2-1.
 
In the second, the Bears took advantage of two walks issued by Stober on an Olivia Roark RBI single up the middle to take a 1-0 lead.
 
The Sycamores responded in kind with both of their hits coming in the bottom half of the second. Stober helped herself out with an opposite-field shot down the left field line for a single to lead off the inning – her fourth hit of the season in just eight at-bats. Brooke Mann laid down a sac bunt to move her to second, which set up a Becky Malchow RBI single into the right-center gap to bring Stober in to tie the game 1-1.
 
Both Stober and MSU starter Holly Kelley settled in at that point, but Kelley held the upper hand, allowing just one baserunner the remainder of the game off a walk to Gabi Carter in the fifth. Before, she had set down nine straight Sycamores. After, she set down the final seven to close out the game.
 
Missouri State took the lead in the sixth inning, which opened with two quick singles and a sac bunt to put two in scoring position. ISU shortstop Kassie Brown had an amazing diving stop on a hot shot up the middle and threw out Kaitlin Beason at first, but Beason's grounder had brought in Madison Jones for the 2-1 lead and what would end up as the winning run.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Softball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.