Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1
Ole Miss 9, Missouri State 1 (5 Innings)

Missouri State softball kicked off its stay at the Paradise Classic against Ole Miss on Friday morning, falling 9-1 in five innings.
 
The Rebels jumped on top early with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone. 
 
After forcing a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the second, the Bears finally broke through with their first run of the season in the top of the third. The first three Bears reached base in the inning via a Kayla Ulrich single, a McKenzie Vaughan walk and a Riley Baber single to the pitcher to load the bases. Alexis Perales then sent a grounder to second base, scoring freshman Lauren Rowland, to make it a 3-1 game. 
 
Unfortunately, that would be all the runs for Missouri State in the opener, as Ole Miss answered with three more runs in the third, two in the fourth and a run in the fifth to end the game in five innings with a final score of 9-1. 
 
Preseason All-MVC selection Kayla Ulrich was the Bears' top hitter for the game after going 2-for-2 with a walk, while Baber accounted for Missouri State's third hit of the game. As an offense, the Bears worked five walks and struck out just three times. 


Game 2
Kansas 8, Missouri State 0

A five-run fourth inning sealed MSU's fate in Friday's nightcap versus Kansas. The Jayhawks plated five runs on six hits in the frame as part of an 8-0 outcome.

KU's Hailey Cripe delivering an RBI single in the second and then plated two more to start the decisive fourth-inning rally before scoring herself on a Bears error later in the fourth. Bailey Weber and Presley Limbaugh also delivered RBI hits in the inning for KU to make it 6-0.

Makenzi Swick was impressive out of the bullpen for MoState, going 3.2 innings with 3 strikeouts and allowing just 3 hits. She also pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth to keep the Bears in it.

MSU had its scoring opportunities early, loading the bases in the bottom of the first after a leadoff double by Ulrich, a walk to Aubrey Johansen and Kenzie Derryberry reaching on catcher's interference with two outs. But the Jayhawks induced a pop-up to end the rally. MSU also threatened in the third with back-to-back singles from McKenzie Vaughan and Riley Baber to start the inning. But KU's Kaelee Washington (1-2) pitched out of it with an infield pop-up and to ground balls.

Kansas out-hit the Bears 8-3 with Ava Wallace going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs for the Jayhawks. 


UP NEXT:

The Bears are back at it Saturday with games against Wisconsin (2:45 p.m.) and host FAU (5:00 p.m.) on day two of the Paradise Classic.