SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State sophomore Steffany Dickerson struck out nine Loyola hitters and threw a complete game to pick up her tenth win of the season and lead the Bears to a 5-3 win over the visiting Ramblers here Sunday.

The win secured a three-game series sweep for Missouri State, which improved to 17-9 overall and 4-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

“We really did a nice job up and down the lineup today of battling at the plate and moving runners over in key situations,” said MSU head coach Holly Hesse. “I can’t say enough about Steff (Dickerson). She really competed out there today. She had one rough inning, but that only made her stronger – striking out six hitters over the last three innings.”

The Bears scored two runs in the second and two more in the third to build a 4-0 lead. An RBI infield hit by Darby Joerling was pivotal in the second inning rally before Rachel Weber’s two-run single with two outs in the third gave MSU a four-run cushion.

Loyola bounced back with a pair of runs in the fourth, stringing together four hits in the frame, including RBI singles by Brooke Wilson and Abbey Jacobsen to cut Missouri State’s lead in half.

MSU responded with a key insurance run in the fourth. With one out and runners at second and third, Kyana Mason lifted a fly ball to center. Bailey Greenlee tagged and scored just ahead of a force play at second with Joerling trying to scramble back to the bag after the catch.

From there, Dickerson (10-3) took the wheel and guided the Bears to the finish line. She retired nine of the next 11 Loyola hitters to end the game to pick up her fifth complete game of the season and second of the weekend. The only blemish was a leadoff solo homer by Katie Kasubke in the sixth– her fourth of the year – to get Loyola within 5-3. But Dixon responded by fanning the next five Loyola hitters in a row before fielding the final out of the gam herself.

The Bears out-hit Loyola, 8-6, on the afternoon, with Weber leading all players on a 2-for-2 offensive day as one of seven MSU players to reach base.

Shannon McGee led Loyola with two hits. Starter Keenan Dolezal (6-3) took the loss after giving up four runs, two earned, and striking out two in 2.2 innings of work.

The Bears host Saint Louis University on Wednesday at 4 p.m. in a non-conference single game before resuming MVC play next Saturday and Sunday at home against Northern Iowa.