Box Score RUSTON, La. – The Missouri State softball team (2-3) threatened late in the seventh inning, but a four-run first inning followed by a solo home run by North Dakota sealed the deal in the Bears' 5-4 loss to the Fighting Hawks, Sunday morning.
 
To start the game, junior Erika Velasquez Zimmer received a free base after being nailed by a pitch and was moved over to second off a sacrifice bunt from Hailee Vigneaux shortly after. Picking up her first RBI of the day, Senior Mary Stephens launched a stand up double off the right-center field wall to score Zimmer from second. After a North Dakota illegal pitch, Stephens trotted over to third and was later brought home on a grounder to shortstop, giving Missouri State an early 2-0 lead.
 
Answering in the bottom frame, North Dakota tallied four runs and five hits off Missouri State starter Erin Griesbauer to take a 4-2 lead over the Bears. The Fighting Hawks extended their lead in the second inning as relief pitcher Holley surrendered a solo shot over the right field fence.  
 
After two scoreless innings for both teams, Olivia Roark sparked a Missouri State rally in the top of the fifth with a scorcher down the third base line for a double, followed by a sacrifice bunt that moved her over to prime scoring position. Vigneaux followed suit, ripping into a shot into left-center field and scoring Roark, but was thrown out while trying to advance to second base. With two outs and the bases cleared, Stephens lifted her third home run of the weekend over the right field wall to make it a 5-4 game.
 
Cutting North Dakota's lead down to one, the Bear defense buckled down and allowed only two Fighting Hawks to reach base throughout the fifth in sixth inning, bringing back the Missouri State offense. After recording back-to-back singles, a grounder from Vigneaux moved both runners into scoring position for the Bears. Despite having runners on second and third, a fielder's choice and a strikeout ended the Bears comeback as Missouri State fell to North Dakota 5-4.
 
After going 2-3 at the Louisiana Tech Invitational, the Bears return to action next weekend at the Texas A&M Invitational on Feb. 17-19 in College Station, Texas. The Bears will play a single game against Stephen F. Austin, as well as a pair of games against both New Mexico and Texas A&M. For more information on the Missouri State softball team, visit www.missouristatebears.com