COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Missouri State softball dropped to 2-8 on the season with a 9-6 loss to Stephen F. Austin in its final game of the Texas A&M Invitational.
 
In a high-scoring, back-and-forth game, Daphne Plummer led the way for the Bears offensively as she went 3-for-4 at the plate, along with two runs scored and three stolen bases. Payton Minnis contributed two hits and two runs, while Alex Boze had a hit and three RBI on the morning. Overall, the Bears' offense tallied six runs on 10 hits, while the defense committed no errors in the field.
 
After two scoreless innings to begin the game in the Bears' rematch against SFA, the Ladyjacks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning. SFA used a sac bunt and four singles to drive in the first three runs of the contest.
 
The Bears wasted no time answering the Ladyjacks, as Missouri State closed the gap to 3-2 after three full innings. Plummer started things off with a one-out single and stole second base, before Minnis singled to third base to put two runners on with just one out.
 
Following a Boze walk to load the bases, Kim DeBold singled to pick up two RBI and cut the MSU deficit to a single run.
 
SFA took advantage of three walks in the fourth inning to eventually score on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded to extend the lead back to two runs. Following a scoreless fifth inning, the Ladyjacks launched a two-run homer in the top of the sixth after a leadoff walk to stretch their lead to 6-2.
 
Missouri State answered in the home half of the sixth inning with a Steffany Dickerson pinch-hit home run to make it a 6-3 ball game. However, SFA would once again have an answer, extending their lead in the top of the seventh inning.
 
The Ladyjacks were able to hit a double, a couple of singles and a triple to log their second three-run inning of the contest to take a 9-3 lead as the game entered the final frame.
 
However, the Bears made things interesting in the bottom half of the seventh with back-to-back singles to begin the frame. Boze then came to the plate and launched her second home run in as many games against the Ladyjacks, a three-run shot to pull the Bears back within three.  
 
Unfortunately, the comeback bid would end there as the Bears fell 9-6 in the tournament finale in College Station.
 
Missouri State will have next weekend off, before returning to action on Thursday, March 3 to open the Razorback Rumble in Fayetteville, Ark. First pitch against the Razorbacks is set for 5 p.m.