CARBONDALE, Ill. – Missouri State softball fell to 9-14 (0-1 MVC) on the season with a 5-2 loss at Southern Illinois (18-3, 1-0 MVC) to open Missouri Valley Conference play here Tuesday afternoon.
 
Olivia Krehbiel and Tess Weakly led the way for MSU at the plate, as each logged a hit, an RBI and a walk, while Krehbiel collected a triple.
 
After a quiet first couple of innings, the third frame proved to be important for both teams with MSU striking first in the top half of the inning. Freshman Abby Ford reached on an error to lead off the inning, before Kenzie Derryberry moved her over to second with a sacrifice bunt in the next at-bat. Ford ended up on third base with no outs after she stole her 15^th base of the season, setting up Krehbiel who knocked a triple to right center to put MSU on the board first. Weakly immediately followed with a single to score Krehbiel, giving MSU a 2-0 lead after two-and-a-half innings.
 
MSU's lead wouldn't hold for long as SIU answered in the home half of the inning with three runs to take its first lead of the game. MSU forced a foul out and a fly out to begin the third, but the Salukis put together a two-out rally. SIU collected a single, a double and launched a two-run homer to take a one-run, 3-2, advantage over the Bears after three.
 
The Bears threatened in the fourth following back-to-back walks to lead off the inning before a SIU error with two outs loaded the bases for MSU. However, Missouri State was unable to push a run across and stranded three on base. Southern Illinois tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth via a couple of singles and two walks to extend their lead to 4-2.
 
MSU managed a leadoff walk in the fifth, but that was all for the Bears as the Salukis tacked on their fifth run of the game with a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Down to their final three outs in the top of the seventh, the Bears made things interesting as they created traffic on the base paths. Weakly drew a walk to put the first runner on with one out. With two outs on the board just two batters later, Kim DeBold sent a single up the middle and Alex Boze drew the second walk of the inning to load the bases for MSU. Unfortunately, the Bears grounded out to end the game, falling 5-2 in the MVC opener.
 
MSU and SIU will face off again tomorrow in Carbondale with first pitch set for 12 p.m. The game will stream on ESPN+.