Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Season Stats
 
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Missouri State dropped a pair of games here Saturday on day two of the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic.
 
The Bears (0-4) dropped a narrow 7-5 decision to North Carolina State in the opener before Notre Dame ran over MSU, 16-0, in the nightcap.
 
" I really liked the way we stayed dialed in against North Carolina State and kept fighting until the last inning," said head coach Holly Hesse. "Tess Weakly showed us a glimpse of how impactful she can be to our lineup.
 
"The second game got away from us, but we gave up a month's worth of unearned runs. Give credit to a really good Notre Dame team, but we didn't play our best softball. We just need to flush that game and get ready for Baylor on Sunday."
 
Missouri State looks to rebound Sunday morning at 8 a.m. (Central) with an early getaway day matchup against Baylor.
 
 
Game 1
North Carolina State 7, Bears 5
 
In a game that featured seven hits for each side, North Carolina State (2-2) outlasted the Bears, 7-5, using a four-run third inning to take a lead it would never relinquish.
 
The Bears drew first blood in the first, sandwiching a walk to Tess Weakly with hits from Kelly Metter and Madison Hunsaker to load the bases. Darian Frost then brought home the first run of the season for Missouri State with a walk to make it a 1-0 game.
 
NC State roared back with four runs in the bottom of the third. A two-run single by Logan Morris and a two-run homer by Brigette Nordberg made it 4-1 and chased Bears' starter Madison Hunsaker.
 
Missouri State answered with a pair of runs in the fourth, sparked by a leadoff single by Bailey Greenlee and walk by Abi LaValley. Two batters later, Metter blasted a double to left to bring them both around to score and make it a one-run game.
 
Sam Russ and Tatyana Forbes then teamed up to tack on three insurance runs for the Wolfpack. Russ smacked an RBI double to left ahead of a two-run single from Forbes to make it 7-3.
 
Missouri State made things interesting in the seventh with Daphne Plummer collecting a leadoff single in advance of a two-run homer by Weakly, her first collegiate homer, to make it a two-run game.
 
North Carolina State's Devin Wallace (1-0), who went the distance with four walks and seven strikeouts, was able to record the final two outs of the game to end MSU's late threat and end the game.
 
The Bears used three different pitchers with Erin Griesbauer finishing out the last 3.0 innings, allowing just two hits and a run. Metter, with two hits, and Weakly with a pair of walks and a homer, led MSU's offense.
 
 
Game 2
Notre Dame 16, Bears 0 (5 innings)
 
Notre Dame (1-2) scored eight runs in the second and eight more in the third to roll to a 16-0, five-inning win over the Bears.
 
The Irish broke open a scoreless game in the second, capitalizing on four infield hits and a pair of MSU errors to plate their first five runs without the ball leaving the infield. Notre Dame then added two more tallies on a base hit to center by Abby Sweet and capped the eight-run inning with an RBI double by Quinn Biggio.
 
Leeah Hanks tacked on two more Notre Dame runs in the third with a triple to right in advance of a two-run single by Sweet. MSU's third error of the game brought home another Irish run to make it 13-0, and Notre Dame tallied three runs more before the Bears were able to restore order.
 
Ten of Notre Dame's runs were unearned.
 
The Bears' only hit of the game came on a leadoff single by Payton Minnis in the third. Hunsaker also reached base twice with a walk and a Notre Dame error. Freshman Gracie Johnston pitched effectively in relief, allowing just one hit in 1.2 innings and posting a 1-2-3 fourth.
 
Alexis Holloway (1-1) got the win for Notre Dame after 3.0 innings of work. Erin Griesbauer (0-2) took the loss for MSU.