SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State softball (22-28, 10-17 CUSA) fell in its season finale 11-2 in six innings against New Mexico State (26-25, 16-11 CUSA) on Saturday afternoon.
Two big innings for New Mexico State were the difference in this one. The Aggies jumped on the board first with a six-run top of the first. Three consecutive hits, including an RBI double and a two-run homer, gave the Aggies an early three-run advantage. After a couple of outs, New Mexico State took advantage of a few Missouri State free passes and scored three more runs in the frame on a two-RBI triple and a Bear error on a pickoff attempt to extend the lead to 6-0.
From there, Mo State settled in for a while on the defensive side as the Bears offense got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the second via a
Sidney McLaughlin solo home run.
Missouri State kept New Mexico State off the board in the third through fifth innings, getting some big plays to help keep the Aggies at bay. The top of the third ended with an Aggie baserunner missing a bag on what would have been another run scored, while the top of the fourth ended with McLaughlin throwing out an Aggie attempting to steal second.
The Bears added another run in the bottom of the fifth after
Elizabeth Bobbitt led the frame off with a double to left center field. Following a fly out,
Mya January sent a ball deep enough to center field to drive in Bobbitt on the sacrifice fly to make it a 6-2 game.
Unfortunately, the Aggies put together another big inning in the top of the sixth to push the game into run-rule territory. New Mexico State added five runs on six hits and an error to take an 11-2 lead. Mo State was unable to push a run across in the bottom of the sixth to extend the game, falling 11-2 in its season finale.
McLaughlin finished her Mo State career with a 2-for-3 day at the plate including her solo home run. January drove in Missouri State's only other run of the day as the Bears struck out just three times as a team and stranded five on base.
The Bears finish the season with a 22-28 overall record, including a 10-17 record in league play in their first season in Conference USA. Mo Sate failed to qualify for the CUSA Tournament that fields eight teams after finishing ninth in the regular season standings.
#GoBears
