Box Score CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Missouri State erased an early 7-1 deficit to force extra innings here Tuesday before home-standing Southern Illinois walked it off with an eighth-inning double in an 8-7 conference defeat at Charlotte West Stadium.

The Bears (4-20, 3-1 MVC) racked up 14 hits, including a pivotal fourth-inning grand slam by McKenzie Vaughan that made it a 7-5 game at the time. It was the fifth homer of the season for Vaughan and her second grand slam in four days. Later, Sidney McLaughlin's fifth-inning, two-run, two-out single tied it up, 7-7, to give the Bears new life.

Makenzi Swick (0-7) was unfairly tagged with the loss for MoState after she pitched 4.1 innings in relief. Swick inherited two runners in the fourth before she put out the fire and retired eight in a row. She later pitched out of bases-loaded jams in the sixth and seventh to keep the game tied. Swick fanned four and walked three while surrendering just one run -- Sage Grann's walk-off RBI double in the eighth.

MSU's 7, 8 and 9 hitters combined to go 8-for-13 on the evening with Brynn Romine going 3-for-5, Chloe Merced racking up two hits, and Emily Gerardy finishing 3-for-4. Romine also scored three runs.

SIU jumped on the Bears early with a pair of unearned runs off starter Vaughan in the bottom of the first. The Salukis (12-14, 4-0 MVC), then chased Vaughan in the second, capitalizing on two single, two walks and another MSU error before a grand slam by Erin Lee.

The Bears stranded 12 runners on the day, while Southern Illinois left 14 on base.

Leadoff hitter Emma Austin led SIU with three hits, while McKenzie Newcomb (9-5) picked up the win in relief, going 6.2 innings with eight strikeouts and allowing 11 MSU hits and six earned runs. 

The teams will run it back on Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. in Carbondale to conclude the two-game mini-series. Missouri State is back home this weekend for a three-game set against Evansville at Meador Park.