Missouri State softball is gearing up for a midweek series against Southern Illinois, as they continue Missouri Valley Conference play. After a tough start to the season, the Bears opened MVC action with a dominant series sweep over UIC, outscoring the Flames 32-7. Head Coach Kasey Griffith, in her first season at the helm, collected her first career win with a 6-0 victory against Tulsa. The Bears were picked to finish sixth in the MVC Preseason Poll, with Kayla Ulrich selected to the Preseason All-Valley Team.
The team roster includes a mix of returners and newcomers, with McKenzie Vaughan standing out after missing the entire 2024 season due to an arm injury. Last week, Vaughan batted .571, slugged 1.143, and drove in 10 runs as the Bears swept their first conference series against UIC. On the pitching side, the trio of Vaughan, Makenzi Swick, and Mackenzie Chacon lead the way.
Missouri State trails the all-time series against Southern Illinois, but they won the final game of the three-game series last season. The Bears have split their last 10 meetings with SIU but haven’t taken a series from the Salukis since the 2022 season. The upcoming series promises to be an exciting matchup between the two teams.
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