WICHITA, Kan. – Missouri State softball fell to 9-13 on the season after falling to Nebraska (16-7) and No. 23 Wichita State (19-5) on the final day of the Shocker Classic.
 
Offensively, Olivia Krehbiel led the way for Missouri State at the plate, going 3-for-6 with a double and two runs scored on the day. McKenzie Vaughan and Tess Weakly also contributed multiple hits across both games, as Weakly logged three of MSU's four RBI on the day.
 
 
Game 1: Nebraska 7, Missouri State 2
Missouri State fell behind early against Big 10 opponent Nebraska to begin its final day at the Shocker Classic. The Cornhuskers struck quickly, knocking a two-run homer following a leadoff single to take an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
 
The Bears created their first bit of traffic on the bases in the second inning with a couple of singles, but they were unable to push a run across. Nebraska extended its lead in the third inning with another two runs via a hit by pitch, a couple of singles and a two-RBI double to left center field to make 4-0 in favor of the Cornhuskers.
 
Missouri State put its first run on the board in the home half of the third. With two outs, MSU's Krehbiel hit a single to right field and then stole second base in the next at-bat to give the Bears a runner in scoring position. Weakly then sent an RBI-single up the middle, scoring Krehbiel, to make it a 4-1 ballgame. The MSU threat continued as they managed to load the bases via a single and a Nebraska error, but the Bears were unable to tack on any more runs.
 
The fourth and fifth innings was a single baserunner between the two teams, before Missouri State tacked on another run in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to two runs. Alex Boze launched a two-out solo homer to center field to cut into the Nebraska lead, marking her first home run of the season.
 
However, the Cornhuskers would halt the Bears' momentum, posting three runs on three hits and an error in the top of the seventh to push the lead to five runs.  
 
Missouri State managed back-to-back singles to begin the home half of the seventh, but from there the MSU hitters were retired in order as they suffered a 7-2 loss.
 
The Bears logged nine hits in the game, led by Krehbiel who went 2-for-4 at the plate. Meanwhile, Weakly and Boze collected RBIs. In the circle, Shelby Houchlei came on in relief, tossing 4.2 innings and giving up two earned runs on five hits.
 
Game 2 (5 Innings): #23 Wichita State 13, Missouri State 2
In the second game of the weekend against Wichita State, the Bears once again jumped out to an early lead over the 23^rd-ranked Shockers.
 
With one out in the top of the first inning, the Bears' Kenzie Derryberry hit a single up the middle followed by a Krehbiel double to center field to give MSU runners on second and third. In the next at-bat, Weakly delivered a two-RBI single to left field to give the visiting Bears an early 2-0 lead after one.
 
Unfortunately, that would be all the scoring on the day for MSU as Wichita State eventually tied the game and then exploded offensively.
 
The Shockers logged three two-out hits in the bottom of the first to push a run across and cut the MSU lead in half. Wichita State then hit a solo homer to center in the bottom of the second inning to knot the game at 2-2. Missouri State did a good job in the bottom of the second to limit the damage to just one run as Wichita State collected four hits but ultimately left three runners stranded.
 
From there, Missouri State mustered just one baserunner across the final three innings as the Shockers collected 11 runs on 11 hits and an MSU error across the third and fourth innings to defeat MSU, 13-2, in run-rule fashion.
 
Weakly led the way for MSU against the Shockers, going 1-for-2 with two RBI. Derryberry, Krehbiel and Vaughan collected Missouri State's other three hits.
 
Missouri State will begin conference play next week as the Bears head to Southern Illinois for a two-game set. MSU will face the Salukis on Tuesday, March 14 at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, March 15 at 12 p.m.