Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 HATTIESBURG, Miss.  – Missouri State softball (2-5) split a doubleheader to open its three-game series at Southern Miss (3-4).  The Bears collected a 3-2 win to open the series, before falling 9-2 to the Golden Eagles in game two. 
 
Game 1 – Missouri State 3, Southern Miss 2
Missouri State threatened early in the series opener against the Golden Eagles, drawing back-to-back two-out walks in the top of the first before a strikeout ended the early MSU threat. 
 
After coming up empty after getting runners to second and third with two outs in the second, the Bears finally broke through to score first in the top of the third. Ellie McCoy laid down a bunt single and stole a base to lead off the inning, before Olivia Krehbiel followed with a single to left field to give two runners on with no outs. Annie Mueller then delivered a sacrifice fly to give MSU a 1-0 lead and the Bears defense worked a 1-2-3 bottom half to lead by one with three innings in the books. 
 
Southern Miss went on to tie the game with a solo homer to lead off the USM half of the fourth, but the Bears wasted no time responding. 
 
Following a leadoff single, a fielder's choice and a walk, Mackenzie Chacon was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Catcher Sidney McLaughlin then knocked an RBI single through the left side to score McCoy and Krehbiel came around to score on a Golden Eagles error to put MSU out in front by two runs after five in Hattiesburg. 
 
In the sixth, Southern Miss took advantage of a leadoff double, scoring a run two batters later on a sacrifice fly to cut MSU's lead to a single run as the game entered the seventh inning. MSU worked a walk in the top of the seventh, but that was all for the Bears as they headed to the home half looking to shut the Golden Eagles down and secure the win. 
 
Southern Miss made things interesting, drawing back-to-back walks with one out, but Gracie Johnston and the Bears defense recorded consecutive outs to end the game and open the series with a win. 
 
Chacon (2-0) earned the victory in the circle, hurling 5.0 innings while allowing just two hits and two earned runs. Johnston came on in relief after one batter in the sixth to collect her second save on the year after tossing 2.0 hitless innings in the one-run victory. 
 
Game 2 – Southern Miss 9, Missouri State 2
Missouri State jumped on the Golden Eagles early in game two as Abby Ford got the game started with a single to center field. Two batters later with Ford on standing on second base, Mueller delivered her first home run of the year, a two-run shot over the wall in left center field. 
 
Unfortunately, after taking a 2-0 lead after one inning, the Bears would collect just one hit over the final six innings. While holding the Bears scoreless for six innings, the Golden Eagles offense came to life in the third, scoring six runs on seven hits and a MSU error.
 
That would be all Southern Miss would need, but the Golden Eagles tacked on a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to even the series on Saturday afternoon. Southern Miss scored nine runs on 11 hits in the game with no errors, while MSU had two runs on three hits with one error in the second matchup. 
 
Mueller led the way for MSU with a hit and two RBI. Ford and Emily Shipman contributed MSU's other two hits in the game. 
 
The Bears and Golden Eagles will face off in the rubber match tomorrow (Feb. 18). First pitch is set for 2 p.m. in Hattiesburg and the game will stream on ESPN+.