SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Miscues doomed the Sycamores in the series opener as a wild pitch and an error led to all three of Missouri State's runs in a 3-1 series opening loss to the Bears at Killiam Stadium Saturday afternoon in Springfield.
 
Indiana State (23-23, 10-10 Missouri Valley) had a 1-0 lead on the host Bears (30-16, 15-5) after Kylie Stober hit her first career home run with a solo shot over the left center fence in the second inning. But Stober's wild pitch with a runner on third allowed Missouri State to tie the game in the third.
 
The next inning, a throwing error charged to Brooke Mann on a sacrifice bunt attempt eventually allowed both Kelly Metter and Hannah Heinrichs to score as MSU took a 3-1 lead.
 
Heinrichs came up big of the Bears in the top of the fourth as she jumped up at the wall in right field to rob what would have been a home run by Mann.
 
Stober (7-9) was charged with the loss after allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits in a complete game performance. Metter (12-3), who also went the distance in the circle, allowed only one Sycamore run on five hits while walking four and striking out seven.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Bella Peterson made a triumphant return to the lineup Saturday as she went 2-for-3 at the plate while recording her seventh outfield assist of the year.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
Of the eight runners left on base for Indiana State, five were stranded in scoring position.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Holly Kelley, Missouri State (12-3)
• Loss: Kylie Stober, Indiana State (7-9)
• Save: None

 
RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 23-23 (10-11 MVC)
• Missouri State: 30-16 (15-5 MVC)

NOTABLES

• Indiana State now falls to 26-62 all-time against Missouri State.
• Michael Perniciaro is now 9-13 all-time against Missouri State.
• Leslie Sims stole second base in the first inning, marking her 42nd career stolen base. That moves her into a tie for fifth all-time at Indiana State matching the 42 stolen bases by Sara Lemond (2000-03).
• Kylie Stober hit her first career home run with a dinger in the second inning.
• Mallory Marsicek's stolen base in the second inning marked her second swipe of the year and third of her career.
• Leslie Sims' walk in the first inning extended her reached base streak to 15 games.
• Sims' single in the seventh inning extended her hitting streak to 10 games.

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