SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Missouri State broke open a scoreless game with a three-run fourth inning and first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference pitcher Natalie Rose tossed a four-hit complete game shutout as the Lady Bears topped Bradley 3-0 in the opening game of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Thursday afternoon. 

Both starting pitchers looked sharp early on with neither team collecting a hit until the third.  Freshman Madeline Lynch-Crumrine (Sedro-Woolley, Wash./Sedro-Woolley) struck out five batters in the first three innings and Rose struck out seven in the complete game victory. 

Missouri State (26-23 overall) scored all three of its runs in the fourth.  Jenna Schwark had a one-out single and Ashley Knehans followed with a double.  Stevie Pierce drew a walk to load the bases and Raeven Replogle drove in the first run of the game with a single to left.   Heather Duckworth singled down the left field line to drive in another run and Bradley interference on the play allowed another run to cross as the Lady Bears went in front 3-0 .

Bradley (13-41 overall) tried to mount a seventh-inning rally after pinch hitter Alex Chandler (Needles, Calif./Needles) drew a walk and junior Jackie Roth (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) had a one-out single to left for her second hit of the contest.  Rose settled down to retire the next two batters she faced, however to close out the win.

Roth had two of BU's three hits on the day, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate.  Seniors Brittany Fairbairn (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East/Kankakee C.C.) and Kate Singler (Witt, Ill./Nokomis/Heartland C.C.) each had hits in the final game of their collegiate careers.

Missouri State advances to this afternoon's second round and will face #4 seed Northern Iowa at 4 p.m.