TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Missouri State softball (29-18, 19-5 MVC) dropped the series finale at Indiana State (26-24, 14-10 MVC) in a 6-5 battle here Sunday afternoon.
It was another back-and-forth affair in Terre Haute, but this time the Bears came up just short of mounting a comeback.
Just like yesterday, Missouri State jumped on the Sycamores early via a two-run home run, this time off the bat of Olivia Krehbiel, in the first inning to put MSU out in front. Indiana State then answered promptly with a two-run homer in the home half of the first to tie the ballgame at 2-2.
After the game started late due to a rain delay, weather hit again in the second inning with the game ultimately resuming with a Sycamore on second and one out. The Bears were able to throw an ISU runner out at home on a single right out of the delay, but a two-out single in the next at-bat gave the Sycamores a one-run lead.
Following a quiet third, MSU tied the game in the top of the fourth inning courtesy of a Kenzie Derryberry double to left center and a Tess Weakly RBI single as Derryberry made a beautiful slide at home to avoid the tag.
ISU once again had a quick answer, hitting a double and a one-out single before a sacrifice fly scored a run to put the Sycamores back in front, 4-3, after four innings. Indiana State extended its lead in the fifth inning to 6-3 courtesy of a leadoff home run, a couple of singles and a walk.
The Bears continued to show fight, though, as McKenzie Vaughan hit her third home run of the series, marking her 14th of the season, to open the sixth. After two outs, Weakly drew a walk and back-to-back singles from Annie Mueller and Alex Boze made it a one-run game at 6-5.
MSU’s defense held strong in the home half of the sixth which included two incredible diving plays from Ellie McCoy and Abby Ford, but the Bears couldn’t complete the comeback as they dropped the series with a 6-5 loss on the road.
Ford led the Bears with two hits on the day, while Krehbiel collected two RBI and MSU knocked three extra-base hits.
Missouri State will be on the road next weekend to close out the regular season at Murray State. The first game of the three-game Missouri Valley Conference series is set for Friday, May 5 at 5 p.m. CT.
