Springfield, Mo. – Southwest Baptist came up just short in the first two games of the Drury Invitational to kick off the season. The Bearcats lost the first game to Nebraska Kearney 8-9 and dropped the second game to Northwest Missouri State 3-6.
 
Game 1
Southwest Baptist got on the board first when Nicole Horstman Single to left in the bottom of the 2^nd inning. Renae Gillmore drove in a run the next at-bat followed by Emma Ezzell driving Horstman in. SBU would get one more run in that inning and lead 5-0 through 2 innings. The Bearcats got another in the fourth and then one more in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead. The Lopers took a 9-7 lead in the final inning but the Bearcats tried to mount a comeback when Nicole Horstman drove in Izzy Harrison.
 
Reilly Rupert drew the start, going 4.0 innings, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits. Nicole Horstman shined at the plate, going 2 for 4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI's. Emma Ezzell finished 1 for 1 with 3 walks and scoring 2 runs and driving 2 more runs in.
 
Game 2
The Bearcats got it started early when Katlynn McConville drove in Rylee Lunn after she had tripled the at-bat before. SBU cut back into Northwest Missouri's lead in the third and fourth innings with a run in each. Rylee Lunn scored the run in the third when Alissa Collette singled up the middle. Emma Ezzell singled to start the fourth inning, and then with 2 outs Renae Gillmore drove her in on a fly ball single to right field. The game would be scoreless in the final three innings with Northwest Missouri taking the win 3-6.
 
Alissa Collette and Renae Gillmore had identical stat lines with each of them going 2 for 4 with 2 singles and 1 RBI each. Rylee Lunn had the lone extra base hit with a triple in the first inning of the game. Emma Wood pitched the complete game, going 6 full innings and striking out 3 while allowing 7 hits.
 
Southwest Baptist will finish off the Drury Invitational tomorrow when they face off against Upper Iowa at 2:00 PM followed by Midwestern State at 5:00 PM.