BEAUMONT, Texas – Missouri State softball (1-9) fell 3-2 in a hard-fought battle to Lamar (6-3) on Sunday afternoon to close out its stay at the I-10 Border Classic.
 
The Bears got off to a fast start in their final game of this weekend's tournament. Brynn Romine got things going with a leadoff single, followed by an unsuccessful fielder's choice and a McKenzie Vaughan walk to load the bases with no outs. Sidney McLaughlin was then hit by a pitch to bring in the first MoState run of the day. After a fielder's choice to get the first out at home, Emily Chadwick sent an RBI single to left field to give the Bears a 2-0 lead after one.
 
Lamar cut the MoState lead in half in the bottom of the second with a sacrifice fly. Both squads then settled in with a couple of scoreless innings. In the third and fourth innings, Missouri State allowed just three Cardinals to get on base.
 
Missouri State had another great scoring opportunity in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with one out via a couple of singles and a walk. Unfortunately, Lamar got the lead runner at home on a ground ball before a ground out to shortstop squashed the MoState threat.
 
The Cardinals carried that momentum into the bottom half of the fifth, scoring two runs on three hits to take the lead. All three hits, consisting of a couple of singles and a two-RBI double, came with two outs on the board as Lamar went on to defeat Missouri State by a score of 3-2.
 
Four Bears had hits in this one, while McLaughlin and Chadwick recorded an RBI each. MoState worked four walks in the game, and Romine and Vaughan scored the Bears' two runs.
 
Missouri State has next weekend off before heading to the Woo Pig Classic hosted by Arkansas from Feb. 28-March 2.