Softball Bears Fall in Pitcher’s Duel in Home Opener

SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State softball (3-14, 0-1 MVC) suffered a 2-1 loss to Southern Illinois (16-4, 1-0) in its home and conference opener here Tuesday night at Killian Stadium.
 
It was a pitcher’s duel in Springfield with Missouri State’s Gracie Johnston tossing 4.0 innings and allowing just one earned run on three hits, while Mackenzie Chacon hurled 3.0 innings in relief and allowed just two hits. In the opposing dugout, Southern Illinois’ Maddia Groff threw a complete game, surrendering one run on three hits after coming into the game with a 0.45 earned run average.
 
The Bears got themselves in a small jam to begin the game, walking the first two batters to lead things off. Missouri State settled in quickly, forcing a pop up and ending the threat with a double play to third base. The Salukis worked a couple of more walks in the second, but the Bears defense held strong and kept SIU off the board.
 
Missouri State got its first hit of the game in the bottom of the second on a Kayla Ulrich leadoff single. Ellie McCoy then laid down the sacrifice bunt to push the runner to second, but MSU ultimately came up empty.
 
The Salukis struck first with a run in the top of the third courtesy of a one-out double and an RBI-single to left center field.
 
After a couple of quiet innings for both sides, Missouri State drew back-to-back two-out walks, but couldn’t get the timely hit to bring the runners home as SIU carried a 1-0 lead to the fifth inning.
 
Southern Illinois added an insurance run in the fifth that proved to be important down the stretch. After an error to begin the inning, SIU scored its second run of the game on a double with no outs on the board. Missouri State then turned to Chacon in the circle and she limited the damage to just the one run to keep the Bears within striking distance.
 
Missouri State stranded a runner on second in the bottom of the sixth, so the Bears would enter the seventh needing two runs to extend the game. MSU made some noise with Sidney McLaughlin knocking her first career home run with one out to cut the deficit in half. With two outs, Kenzie Derryberry sent a single to right field, bringing the winning run to the plate, but a hard liner to right field brought an end to MSU’s comeback bid as the Bears fell at home 2-1.
 
Defensively, Olivia Krehbiel recorded eight assists against the Salukis, tying for the third-most assists in a single game in program history.
 
The Bears and Salukis face off again tomorrow (March 13) at Killian Stadium. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. and the game will stream on ESPN+.