Feb. 16, 2013

Box Score

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The Missouri State softball team (3-6) lost to Rutgers (1-2) in the second game of the day at the UTSA Classic in San Antonio, 3-0. Rutgers scored all three runs off of two MSU errors.

Freshman pitcher Jessie Van Es turned in her best outing as a Bear. She pitched four-plus innings of three-hit ball. She struck out a career-best three batters. Chelsea Jones came on in relief to hold the Bears within striking distance.

Senior Kirstin Cutter had two of Missouri State's three hits in the game. She also drew one of the four Bears' walks in the game.

The Bears got walks by Cutter and Stevie Pierce to start the first and second innings, respectively. Both times, though, the runners were stranded at second base to end the innings.

After Rutgers scored a pair of unearned runs in its half of the second, the Bears got back to work. In the third, Cutter roped a one-out double into the right-center gap. She advanced to third on a wild pitch while Ali Trickey drew a walk. Trickey moved into score position with a steal of second, but that first run remained elusive.

In the fourth inning, Heather Duckworth recorded her fourth hit of the day with a single to right. Stacia Boeckstiegel drew a walk, but the runners were stranded as the inning came to an end.

MSU continued to get base runners in the fifth. Cutter singled through the right side to start the inning. Lauren Eisenreich reached on a fielder's choice, but a strikeout and a caught stealing ended the frame.

The Scarlet Knights added a run in the fifth and again the Bears got a base runner in the sixth. Mary Stephens reached on a Rutgers' fielding error. A line out to right allowed Rutgers to double the runner off first to end the inning.

The Bears will wrap up the trip to Texas when they play host UTSA in the final game of the UTSA Classic at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. Missouri State will travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., next weekend for five games at the Frost Classic.