SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Midwestern State softball team got up on the right foot for the Drury Invitational in the first game against the University of Illinois-Springfield. The first two innings for the Mustangs were instrumental as they put to route the Prairie Stars 8-4.

Pitcher Jacey Henry was on the mound for MSU for the fourth game of the year and played all seven innings. The junior allowed two runs off two hits in the top of the first. Once they gained the three outs, the Mustangs went to work in the batter's box. Ashley Turner doubled after Carson Solis walked, allowing both to score off a double from Mattye Tyler. Turner has scored a run in every game except one this year.

Now tied at two all, Henry came up big with her third homer of the year to drive in Tyler and bring MSU up by two. UIS closed out the inning with a strikeout.

Midwestern State closed Illinois-Springfield down with three straight in the top of the second and went off again on offense. Solis tallied a single and Haley Butler reached base on a bunt. Butler scored on a passed ball and Tyler drove in Solis on a sacrifice fly. Turner, walked earlier in the inning, scored from Henry's single. The Mustangs ended the inning up 7-2, going into the third.

Both teams doubled down on defense with only one more run coming for MSU and two more for UIS. After only gaining three hits from the third and fourth innings, Illinois-Springfield found a run as Ashley Klinzing stole third and reached home on an error. She found another in the top of the seventh, pushing the Stars to four.

 Marley Eller grabbed her third hit in three games during the third inning and Tyler garnered another hit in the fourth, going three for three in the game. Bailey Brenek doubled in the fifth for her first of the season.

Turner turned in the final run for the Mustangs in the bottom of the sixth. After another Solis single, Turner reach base on a fielder's choice. Tyler's double and Henry's RBI drove in the sophomore.

Henry, the winning pitcher, allowed four runs on ten hits with two strikeouts against UIS. She is 2-2 this year.