DES MOINES, Iowa—Missouri State’s Jenna Schwark did most of the Bears’ scoring in the first three innings, and the early deficit was enough to hold off the University of Evansville softball team 3-0 at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Thursday.

The Purple Aces finish the 2010 season at 18-34 under first-year head coach Mark Redburn. UE also hit double-digit wins in conference play with a 10-16 mark compared to last year’s 4-19.

The Aces put up four hits against the Bears, as First-Team All-MVC Amy Gaertner got one in the second, Alicia Betancur in the third, and Second-Team All-MVC Jen Stahlhut with one in the fourth and her 13th double of the season in the sixth.

Kendall Kautz (13-15) took the loss after giving up five hits and three runs in three innings of work. Kautz also struck out three while walking two. Jen McKee came in as relief in the fourth and allowed only one hit.

The Bears’ Natalie Rose (7-11) went the entire seven, giving up four hits while striking out nine.

MSU opened things up early in the first after a Schwark double brought in the game’s first run. Knehans’ single then allowed Schwark to make it around for a 2-0 lead. Schwark’s bat continued to do work in the third, as her first at-bat of the inning produced a home runl to end the scoring at 3-0.