RUSTON, La.  – Missouri State softball fell to 3-9 on the season after suffering a 7-3 loss in the series finale at Louisiana Tech (9-2). 
 
The Bears got off to a quick start on the road, scoring a run in the top of the first. Abby Ford started the day off with a leadoff infield single, but she would be thrown out at home on a fielder's choice later in the inning. Annie Mueller then hit a single to left field, and in the next at-bat a wild pitch and an error scored Ellie McCoy to put the Bears in front 1-0. 
 
Missouri State added another run in the second, kicked off by Chloe Merced reaching on a dropped third strike on a wild pitch. After a Kelsie Lewis sacrifice bunt, Merced advanced all the way to third and Kayla Ulrich scored her with an RBI single to left field, putting MSU ahead 2-0 with two innings in the books. 
 
Louisiana Tech posted two runs in the bottom of the third on two RBI singles to knot the game at 2-2 in yet another close game between the two teams. 
 
Both teams went down in order in the fourth, before heading to the game-deciding fifth inning. With two outs in the fifth, the Bears drew a walk and McCoy was hit by a pitch before Mueller sent an RBI single to left field to propel MSU back into the lead, 3-2. 
 
Unfortunately, the Bears weren't able to hold the momentum as Louisiana Tech utilized four hits (two doubles), an obstruction call, a sacrifice fly and a Missouri State error to score five runs and take a 7-3 lead. The Bears then went down in order in the next two innings as they dropped the series finale in Ruston. 
 
Ford and Mueller each collected two hits for MSU, while Mueller and Ulrich drove in a run each. 
 
Missouri State will have next week off before heading back on the road to the Tennessee Invitational (March 8-10) in Knoxville, Tenn.