NORMAL, Ill.. – The Belmont University Softball Program (30-20, 16-11 MVC) took on Missouri State (19-31, 13-14 MVC) in the MVC Tournament Quarterfinals. The Bruins ultimately fell 4-7 to the Bears ending the 2024 season.
How it Happened
Both teams saw three-straight outs in the first inning quickly sending the game to the second.
Grace Gressly led off the second for the Bruins with a double to right. Luciani followed with a single to left. Both runners advanced to second and third off the throw putting Belmont in scoring position.
Emily Cockrill stepped up to the plate and recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to give the Bruins an early 1-0 lead.
Missouri State responded with a three-run home run to take a 1-3 lead midway through the third.
Nicole Hughes took the batter's box and drove in a solo home run to bring the Bruins within one at 2-3 heading into the fourth.
The Bears added another run in the fourth to extend the lead to 2-4 at the end of four.
Neither team could bring in a run in the fifth leaving the inning scoreless.
The Missouri State bats got hot again in the top of the sixth as the Bears added two more runs.
In the bottom of the sixth,
Brenna Blume walked followed by another double from Gressly to put Belmont in scoring position. E. Cockrill drove in her second RBI of the night to give the Bruins another run.
Abi Ledbetter later added an RBI single of her own to close the gap at 4-6 heading into the seventh.
With a couple of Bruin errors, the Bears were able to bring in another run in the top of the seventh. Belmont was unable to rally in the seventh resulting in a 4-7 loss.
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