FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Missouri State softball (1-13) battled on day two of the Woo Pig Classic hosted by Arkansas, falling in two closely-contested matchups. The Bears fell 5-4 against Iowa in game one before dropping a 4-2 decision to Illinois in its final game of the day. 
 
 
Game 1 – Iowa 5, Missouri State 4
Missouri State kicked off the day with a close contest against Iowa, coming up just short in the comeback effort. 
 
To start the game, Iowa loaded the bases with no outs but McKenzie Vaughan and the Bears defense didn't flinch. The senior right-hander got a strikeout swinging and forced two flyouts to center field to squash the Hawkeye threat. The second inning saw Iowa load the bases again, this time with two outs, but once again the Bears defense came through with a ground out to end the inning. 
 
MoState jumped on the board first with a couple of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Riley Baber reached on an Iowa error to jumpstart things, before Emily Chadwick laid down a bunt for a single. Aubrey Johansen then laid down a successful sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. With two outs, Kenzie Derryberry knocked a two-RBI double to right field to give the Bears the lead. 
 
Iowa broke through with a single run in the fourth on an RBI ground out, before adding two more in the fifth frame on a single and an error to take a 3-1 lead. Fast forward to the seventh inning and Iowa utilized three singles and an error to tack on two more runs and extend the lead over the Bears to 5-2. 
 
However, MoState wouldn't go away quietly. Emily Gerardy and Derryberry each reached on errors to begin the bottom half of the seventh, before a muffed throw allowed Missouri State to score and make it 5-3. With runners on first and third base with no outs, Kayla Ulrich reached on a fielder's choice as MoState added its second run of the inning to trail by just one run. Another fielder's choice and a Vaughan single put two runners on the basepaths with two outs. Unfortunately, a line out would end the game as MoState's comeback effort fell short, 5-4. 
 
Vaughan led the way with two hits in the contest, while Derryberry collected two RBI. A trio of Bears worked in the circle, as Vaughan and Makenzi Swick racked up a couple of strikeouts each. 
 
 
Game 2 – Illinois 4, Missouri State 2
As was the theme of the day, the Bears once again jumped on the board first but couldn't quite hold on down the stretch. 
 
After two scoreless innings to start this one, Missouri State struck first in the top of the third inning with a couple of runs. Brynn Romine drew a walk to lead things off and Ulrich singled to put two runners on base. Following a fielder's choice and a stolen base to put two Bears in scoring position, Vaughan delivered a two-RBI double to left field to put MoState on top. 
 
Illinois found its way on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run to tie the ballgame at 2-2. That kickstarted the Fighting Illini offense as they added a run via an RBI triple in the fifth and a solo homer in the sixth. 
 
Down two runs with one final chance to extend the game in the top of the seventh, Missouri State quickly got two outs on the board. Gerardy then came to the plate and tallied an infield single before Lauren Rowland was hit by a pitch to give the Bears a bit of hope with two runners on and two outs. However, the next batter hit a grounder to second base and Illinois got the lead runner to end the game as MoState fell 4-2 to close out day two at the Woo Pig Classic. 
 
Vaughan tallied two RBI and Missouri State's only extra base hit of the game. Swick delivered a solid outing in the loss, tossing 5.0 innings while allowing three earned runs and striking out three. 
 
UP NEXT: Missouri State will close out its stay at the Woo Pig Classic tomorrow (March 2) with a matchup against host No. 11 Arkansas. First pitch against the Razorbacks is set for 12:30 p.m. and the game will stream on SECN+.