COMMERCE, Texas – Missouri State softball (4-3) swept day one at the Lion Invitational hosted by East Texas A&M with a pair of run-rule victories. The Bears opened the day by defeating Jackson State 8-0 in six innings, before taking down Grambling State 9-1 in five innings.
 
Game 1
Missouri State 8, Jackson State 0 (6 innings)
Missouri State got off to a great start at the Lion Invitational, posting two runs in the bottom of the second inning to grab an early lead. Following a one-out walk for the Bears, transfer Mya January came up a couple of batters later and knocked a two-out, two-run home run, her first of the season, to put MoState on the board first.
 
MoState kept things rolling in the third with Jackson State going three-up, three-down in the top of the third and the Bears posting a three-spot in the bottom half of the inning. Halle Studer singled to left center field to start the third, followed by a Kayla Ulrich hit by pitch and a Lauren Rowland single to left field to load the bases with no outs. Riley Baber then sent a single up the middle to drive in two runs, before Aubrey Johansen knocked an RBI double two batters later to make it a 5-0 game after three.
 
Jackson State got its first hit of the game in the top of the fourth, a double down the left field line, but Emily Koranda and Co. shut the door with a pop up to end the inning.
 
After quiet fourth and fifth innings, MoState ended the game early with a three-run sixth inning. The Bears rallied with two outs on the scoreboard, beginning with a Studer single to center field. Ulrich collected her first RBI of the game with a single to left, which Rowland followed with an RBI double to left to put the game in run-rule territory. After a Baber walk, Brynn Romine drove in the game-winning run with a single to center field to end this one at 8-0 in six innings.
 
Baber and January led the way in game one with two RBI each, while Studer and Rowland collected multi-hit games. MoState's offense produced nine hits, eight total free passes and struck out just three times.
 
In the circle, Koranda continued her momentum from the end of last weekend, tossing a complete game shutout to earn her second win of the season. She allowed just two hits while striking out five JSU batters.
 
 
Game 2
Missouri State 9, Grambling State 1 (5 innings)
MoState's momentum carried right on into their second game of the morning as the Bears faced Grambling State. Missouri State posted a single run in each of the first four innings to take and extend its lead.
 
Alexis Perales launched a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first inning to get the Bears' offense rolling early. January sent a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in a run in the second, followed by an Ulrich leadoff homer in the third and Pearles' second home run of the day, this time a solo shot to left field, in the fourth. Grambling pushed a run across in the top of the fourth courtesy of a wild pitch, but MoState led 4-1 after four.
 
After a 1-2-3 inning for Grambling in the top of the fifth, the Bears poured on the scoring in the bottom of the inning to once again earn a run-rule victory. Rowland drew a walk to lead off the fifth, before Addison Drummond drove her in with a double to deep center field. A Romine bunt single, steal and a GSU error led to the Bears' second run of the inning. Emily Evans drove in a run with a single to center, and two batters later a Perales fielder's choice made it 8-1 in favor of the Bears. With bases loaded following a wild pitch and a walk, Rowland recorded an RBI after working the game-winning walk, securing the 9-1 run-rule victory for Missouri State in five innings.
 
Romine logged a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate, while Perales drove in three runs and hit two homers. Rowland reached base in all of her plate appearances, drawing four walks in the game. The MoState offense tallied nine hits, five extra-base hits, drew seven walks and only struck out one time.
 
In the circle, senior Makenzi Swick earned her first win of the season. She allowed just one earned run and one hit while fanning four Grambling State batters in 5.0 innings of work.
 
 
UP NEXT
Missouri State will be back in action at the Lion Invitational for a single game tomorrow (Feb. 14). The Bears will face SEMO at 1:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed HERE.