Bradley Ends With Win, Illinois State Shares MVC Title

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Published on May 8 2017 1:05 pm
Last Updated on May 8 2017 1:05 pm
Written by Millie Lange

Senior Kelly Kapp broke her own school season hits record and fellow senior Caitlyn McCarron went 4-for-6 with a double, home run and three RBI, but Indiana State topped Bradley 7-2 and 5-2 to sweep a doubleheader from the Braves Saturday afternoon at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.
 
Indiana State (24-28 overall, 8-17 MVC) never trailed in the doubleheader, scoring a run in the first inning of the twin bill.  With two outs and runners at first and third, the Sycamores grabbed a 1-0 lead when Leslie Sims scored on a Mary Turitto single to right.
 
Bradley (20-32 overall, 6-19 MVC) answered with a run in the bottom of the first to pull even at 1-1.  Kapp had a single to left and stole second only to come home later in the inning on McCarron’s team-leading 14th double of the year.
 
A pair of Bradley errors in the top of the second led to an unearned run, however, as Indiana State went back in front 2-1.  The Braves stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the second and left another runner at third in the third.
 
Indiana State broke the game open with a four-run fourth after loading the bases on a walk, single and one-out walk.  Senior Jaelen Hull was one strike away from getting out of the jam unscathed, but Brooke Riemenschneider ripped a grand slam down the left field line on a 2-2 pitch to push the Sycamores lead to 6-1.
 
The Braves left a total of 11 on base in the opener, stranding two more runners in both the fourth and fifth innings and Indiana State added an insurance run in the sixth on a RBI groundout by Riemenschneider to take a 7-1 lead.
 
Bradley tried to rally in the seventh with McCarron getting things started with a one-out single for her second hit of the contest.  Freshman Kealia Wysocki followed with a single to right and McCarron scored to cut the Sycamore lead to 7-2 on a RBI single by Elizabeth Leonard.  Indiana State ended the threat with a fielder’s choice and groundout as the Sycamores took game one 7-2.
 
Both teams struggled to score early in the nightcap with both squads leaving five runners on base in the first three frames.  Bradley hurler Julie Kestas got out of a bases loaded jam in the third, but couldn’t escape the fourth after hitting a batter with two outs to load the bases.  Rylee Holland broke up the scoreless contest with a two-run single up the middle and Shaye Barton made it a 3-0 Sycamore lead with a single to left.
 
McCarron provided the big hit of the day for Bradley with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth.  Kapp led off the inning with a single as she broke her own school season record for hits with her 77th of the year.  She was called out for runner’s interference, however, after colliding with Sycamore second baseman Kassie Brown as junior Maria Schroeder reached on a fielder’s choice.  McCarron ripped a two-run homer to left center to pull the Braves within a run at 3-2.  The homer was McCarron’s team-leading sixth of the season and she now has a team-best 39 RBI.
 
Indiana State added pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh to push its lead to 5-2.  With one out and runners at second and third, Becky Malchow drove in a run with a groundout and Gabi Carter plated another run with a single down the right field line.
 
McCarron collected her fourth hit of the day with a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but Bradley couldn’t get anything going against Sycamore starter Kylie Stober who closed out the 5-2 Indiana State victory.
 
Bradley and Indiana State will close out the three-game series Sunday with an 11 a.m. game at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.  Seniors Jaelen Hull, Kelly Kapp and Caitlyn McCarron will be recognized prior to the final home game of their Bradley careers.

Sunday's Game

Bradley scratched across a run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings and freshman Kealia Wysocki delivered a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth as the Braves ended the season with a 5-3 extra-inning victory over Indiana State Sunday at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.
 
Indiana State (24-29 overall, 8-18 MVC) led 3-2 in the seventh, before Bradley (21-32 overall, 7-19 MVC) scratched out a run in the bottom of the inning to force extra innings.  Sophomore Gabby Stoner drew a walk to leadoff the Bradley half of the seventh and tied the game up at 3-3 when she came around to score on a two-out double off the fence in right center by senior Caitlyn McCarron.
 
The Braves threatened in the eighth inning after junior Elizabeth Leonard and sophomore Katie Habryle both walked to open the inning.  Indiana State starter Kenzie Ihle returned to the circle and got a pair of popouts and a strikeout, however, as the teams went to the ninth knotted at 3-3.
 
Sophomore Julie Kestas retired the final seven batters she faced following a two-out single in the top of the seventh and sat the Sycamore down in order in both the eighth and ninth innings.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, junior Maria Schroeder ripped a one-out double to left center, but was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning on a McCarron single to right.  Wysocki belted the second pitch she faced over the fence in left center to give the Braves the 5-3 walk-off victory.  The homer was Wysocki’s team-best seventh of the year as she tied the school record for home runs by a freshman set by Trish Kowalewski in 2005.
 
Bradley opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the third.  Stoner had a one-out double and the Braves had runners at second and third after a single by senior Kelly Kapp.  Schroeder drove in Stoner from third with a bloop double to center as Bradley grabbed a 1-0 lead.
 
Indiana State tied it up at 1-1 with a run in the top of the fifth.  A pair of singles and sacrifice bunt to open the inning gave the Sycamores runners at second and third with only one out.  Rylee Holland drove in the first Indiana State run of the afternoon with a groundout to second.
 
The Braves answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning to go back in front 2-1.  Stoner, who was 2-for-3 with two runs, singled to open the inning and advanced all the way to third on a Sycamore error on the play.  Kapp drove in Stoner with a sacrifice fly to right.
 
The lead was short lived, however, as Indiana State got two runs in the top of the sixth.  Bradley appeared to get out of the inning unscathed, but Kestas was called for an illegal pitch on a strikeout which would have ended the frame.  With new life, Erika Crissman ripped the first pitch she saw to the fence in right center as both runners scored to put the Sycamores in front 3-2.
 
Kestas earned the victory out of the bullpen for the Braves, limiting Indiana State to two hits in five innings of work as she closed the season with a 7-10 record.
 
Schroeder hit a pair of doubles in a 3-for-4 effort at the plate and finished the season with 16 doubles for the fifth-best season total in school history.  McCarron came through in the clutch, collecting both of hits in her final two at bats and closed the season with a .428 batting average for the second-best average in school history.  Her team-best 40 RBI rank fifth among Bradley season marks.
 
Kapp, who was 1-for-4 on the day with an RBI, finished off her career by posting the highest season-batting average in school history (.438) in addition to owning the highest career batting average in Missouri Valley Conference history (.407).
 
Bradley starter Jaelen Hull scattered seven hits and struck out three with no walks in her final outing as a Brave.
 
Bradley won the final home game of the season for the fifth consecutive season.

Teutopolis graduate Allison Apke had quite a day at the plate being hit by pitches. Apke had a single in the first game Saturday but was hit by a pitch twice. In the second game, APke had four at-bats and was hit by a pitch once. In the Sunday contest she had one at-bat.


Illinois State Shares MVC Title

Despite the setback to Northern Iowa, Illinois State earned a share of the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference title Sunday afternoon’s Senior Day at Marian Kneer Stadium.

The 2017 regular season MVC title is the first for the Redbirds since 2011. The Redbirds 20-6 league record is the second-best Valley record in Illinois State program history.

The Redbirds wrap up the regular season with a 30-20 overall mark, 20-6 in the Valley. The Panthers of Northern Iowa earned the 8-2 win and share the MVC regular season title with the same league record and a 32-18 season record.

The pair of seniors Annie Heineman and Jordan de los Reyes led the Redbirds’ offense along with Riley Strandgard. Heineman logged two hits while both de los Reyes and Strangard had a hit and a run apiece.

Northern Iowa’s Roby Brittney, Macey Wolfe, and Sammey Bunch each knocked two hits. Bunch had three RBIs on the day.

The Panthers jumped to a three-run lead in the second inning on one-run single and two-RBI triple to right.

UNI threatened in the third but an Alyssa Wiebel – Allison Spence double play held off the Panthers. Heineman singled in the third but the Redbirds could not convert.

The Redbirds put two runs on the board in the fourth inning on a Strandgard RBI-single, plating de los Reyes who singled to open the inning. Strandgard came around to score the second run on Panthers’ wild pitch, cutting the deficit to one.

UNI answered back with five runs on three hits in the fifth inning, sparking an Illinois State gave the ball to Morgan Christner.

Heineman sprinted down the line for her second hit off the day in the fifth and advanced on a pass ball before the inning came to a close. Shannon Felde sparked the Redbirds’ offense in the sixth with a single through the left side but was left on base.

The Redbirds’ defense escaped the bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh inning but could not turn the momentum in their favor in the bottom of the inning.

Sarah Finck took the loss in 4.2 innings with Christer tossing 1.1 innings before Ali Domkuski closed out the game. UNI’s starter Jaclyn Spencer earned the win in 4.0 frames with Alyssa Buchanan finishing the game.

Teutopolis graduate Kadi Borries was a pinch runner for Illinois State.