CLEARWATER, Fla. – Missouri State fell to 1-4 with a couple of losses on its final day at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Bears dropped a close one, 4-3, to North Carolina State to begin the day, before falling, 8-0, to No. 13 Oregon. 
 
Game 1 – North Carolina State 4, Missouri State 3
The Bears opened their final day in Clearwater with a close battle against the Wolfpack.
 
NC State got on the board first with a couple of singles, a sacrifice fly and a double to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Chloe Merced then responded in the third with her first home run of the season, a towering shot to center field, to make it a 2-1 game.
 
The Wolfpack answered right back with a couple of base knocks and took advantage of a Missouri State error to push a run across and extend the lead back to two runs. 
 
After a quiet fourth, NC State threatened again in the bottom of the fifth. However, with two outs and the bases juiced, Gracie Johnston forced a pop up to end the inning and keep it a two-run ballgame at 3-1. 
 
In the top of the sixth, the Bears made their move. With one out, Abby Ford stepped to the plate and knocked a double to left center field. Ellie McCoy followed with a single through the left side and advanced on the throw, before stealing third in the next at-bat. With McCoy on third, Krehbiel did her job by sending a sacrifice fly to right field, tying the game at 3-3. 
 
The game headed to the seventh inning still knotted at three and the Bears threatened to take the lead late. Annie Mueller drew a leadoff walk, and a couple of batters later freshman Kayla Ulrich delivered a base knock to give MSU runners at first and second with one out. Unfortunately, on a ground out to shortstop, the Bears were called for runner's interference, which marked the third out to end the Missouri State threat and the game. 
 
Game 2 – Oregon 8, Missouri State 0
Missouri State ended their stay at the NFCA Leadoff Classic with a matchup against No. 13 Oregon. 
 
The Ducks jumped on top in the first inning with a single and double to begin the game, but the MSU defense settled in and limited the damage to just one run on two hits. The Bears weren't intimidated though, as Ford and McCoy knocked base hits to open MSU's first opportunity on offense. Ultimately, Oregon was able to force a fly out and turned a double play to keep the Bears off the board. 
 
Oregon then pushed two more runs across with three hits and the help of a Missouri State error to lead 3-0 after two innings. The Ducks tacked on a run in the fourth after three consecutive two-out singles to extend their lead to four. 
 
The Bears stayed within striking distance down the stretch, holding Oregon to just one hit across the fifth and sixth innings, but the Missouri State offense just couldn't break through. The Ducks offense came to life in the seventh with five hits and an error leading to four runs, ultimately sealing MSU's fate with an 8-0 loss to close its stay at the opening weekend tournament.
 
Missouri State is back in action next weekend as the Bears head to Southern Mississippi (Feb. 17-18) for a three-game series in Hattiesburg.