Box Score
PEORIA, Ill. – A grand slam in the bottom of the fourth proved to be too much for the Missouri State softball team as the Bears fell to the Bradley Braves, 9-1, at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex, Sunday afternoon.
 
Unable to score through 14 innings yesterday afternoon, the Braves jumped on the board in the top of the first after Missouri Valley Conference stolen base leader Kelly Kapp led off the inning with a bunt. A stolen base later, a Bradley single through the right side brought in a run off of MSU's starting pitcher, Kaitlin Beason.
 
Missouri State responded half an inning later as Darian Frost started the frame with a leadoff walk. Pinch running for the Bears' catcher, senior Olivia Roark stepped in to run and immediately stole second. Knocking in her fifth RBI of the season, sophomore Morgan Greenlee slid a single through the left side of the field to even the score, 1-1.
 
The Braves regained their lead in the bottom of the fourth after a single and a hit batter placed runners on first and second with no outs. Turning to the Missouri State bullpen, Holly Kelley entered the game to relieve Beason in the circle and followed the call with a walk to load the bases. With the bases juiced, Bradley's Kaelia Wysocki launched a grand slam to give Bradley a 5-1 lead. The Braves tacked on one more run in the fourth, giving the host a 6-1 advantage.
 
The Bears tried to rally in the top of the fifth after Greenlee started the inning with a leadoff walk. Junior Sara Jones kept the rally going, recording her first hit of the season on a single through the right side to move Greenlee around to third. Though the Bears had runners on the corners, three consecutive strikeouts ended the Bears' fifth-inning rally.
 
Ending the game in five innings, Bradley tallied three more runs off freshman reliever Erin Griesbauer to complete the run rule. Beason (9-6) took the loss after surrendering three runs in three innings as the Bears fell to 6-3 in the MVC and 18-12 overall.
 
Missouri State continues its road stint Apr. 8-9 in Terre Haute, Ind., where the Bears will take on Indiana State in a double-header on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. For all the latest news on the Missouri State softball team, visit missouristatebears.com or follow @MSUSoftball on Twitter.