Bradley Claims Wins Over SIU, Softball Roundup

Print

Published on April 23 2018 1:30 pm
Last Updated on April 23 2018 1:30 pm

PEORIA, Ill. – Bradley softball was tied with Southern Illinois heading to the seventh in both games of a doubleheader only to have the Salukis score in the top half of the inning of both contests to post 5-4 and 18-10 victories on a windy afternoon at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.

The squads combined for 10 home runs with Southern Illinois (24-19 overall, 7-10 MVC) slugging three in each game and Bradley (16-25 overall, 5-11 MVC) smashing four of its own on the day.

In the opener, Bradley jumped out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to a three-run homer by junior Megan Mahaffy.  Elizabeth Leonard led off the bottom of the first with a walk and fellow senior Maria Schroeder singled through the right side.  Mahaffy, who homered for the third time in five contests, ripped a shot over the center field fence to put the Braves in front 3-0.

Kyleigh Decker hit a two-out solo homer off the scoreboard in right center in the top of the second and SIU would add two more runs later in the frame on a two-run homer off the bat of Savannah Fisher as the Salukis pulled even at 3-3.

Southern Illinois would later take a 4-3 lead on a two-out RBI double by Megan Brown in the fifth, only to have the Braves tie it up with a run in bottom of the sixth.

With a career-best 11-game hit streak in jeopardy, sophomore Allison Apke smacked a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth to once again tie the game at 4-4.  The homer was Apke’s league-leading 11th of the year and her season total is now one short of matching the Bradley season home run record of 12 set by current Bradley assistant coach Rachel Huggins in 2016.

Junior Julie Kestas, who took over for Bradley starter Emma Jackson in the fifth, retired the first six batters she faced including the first two hitters in the top of the seventh.  SIU cleanup hitter Katelyn Massa snapped that streak however, with a home run to right center as she gave the Salukis a 5-4 advantage.

Sophomore Kealia Wysocki led off the Bradley half of the seventh with an infield single, but SIU erased the hit with a double play as starter Brianna Jones closed out the game for her league-best 19th victory of the year.  Kestas took the loss in the opener for the Braves, giving up just one run on one hit in 2.1 innings of work.

The nightcap also went back and forth, with SIU jumping out to a 2-0 lead on a Maddy Vermejan two-run homer in the first.  The Salukis tried to add to the lead, but would leave the bases loaded.

For the third consecutive game Bradley would hit a three-run first inning homer.  Schroeder singled and Apke drew one of her two walks in the second game to put a pair of runners on.  Freshman Stacia Seeton, who hit a three-run first-inning homer in Thursday’s win against Illinois State, belted a three-run shot to center as the Braves went in front 3-2.  The homer was Seeton’s seventh of the year and tied the Bradley freshman home run record shared by Wysocki (2017) and Trish Kowalewski (2005).

Vermejan, who drove in seven runs in the second game, struck again in the top of the second; giving SIU a 4-3 lead with another two-run homer in the second inning.

Mahaffy worked around a leadoff single in the third for a scoreless inning and had a four-pitch fourth before the Braves would use a wild five-run fourth inning to take an 8-4 lead.  Mahaffy got the inning started with a single and Wysocki followed with a double.  Gabby Stoner drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases and freshman Jillian Navarro drove in a run with a single to right.

SIU got the first two outs of the fourth at the plate on back-to-back fielder’s choices, before Schroeder was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in another run.  Apke followed a pitching chance with a two-run single.  Schroeder was able to take advantage of a defensive lapse by the Salukis, racing home from third with no one covering the plate to put Bradley in front 8-4.

Southern Illinois answered with four runs in the top of the fifth to tie things up at 8-8.  A one-out walk and double off the bat of Jenny Jansen led to the first run and a double by Kyleigh Decker drove in another.  A Fisher single down the left field line drove in the third run of the inning and a Bradley error on the play allowed the tying run to cross.

Decker drove in another run in the top of the sixth with a two-out RBI single up the middle as SIU grabbed a 9-8 lead.

Bradley wasn’t done though, tying it up in the bottom half of the sixth.  Seeton chased an Apke walk with a single and pinch runner Sydney Young raced home from second on a two-out single by Wysocki as the Braves and Salukis went to the seventh knotted at 9-9.

Southern Illinois would bust out for nine runs in the top of the seventh to build an 18-9 lead.  With the bases loaded and one out, Maris Boelens drew a walk to plate the first run of the frame.  Vermejan had the big hit of the inning with a three-run double to left, giving her team a 13-9 lead with her fifth, sixth and seventh RBI of the contest.  A Massa RBI single drove home another run and a BU error on a fielder’s choice allowed another run to cross.  Haley Andrus capped the inning with a pinch hit three-run homer to center as the Salukis built an 18-9 advantage.

Navarro led off the Bradley half of the seventh with her fifth home run of the year and Schroeder smacked a two-out double, but Jones was able to get a fly out to close out the SIU sweep and finish out her 20th win of the year.

Sophomore Kealia Wysocki went 4-for-4 with four RBI and Bradley Softball belted two more home runs Sunday to top Southern Illinois 14-9 in the series finale at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.

The Braves took control of the game early with a 10-run second inning, which featured just six hits.  Stacia Seeton opened the inning with a solo homer as she broke the Bradley freshman home run record with her eighth dinger of the season.

Wysocki had a one-out double in her first plate appearance of the inning and Bradley (17-25 overall, 6-11 MVC) went on to load the bases on a SIU error and Taise Thompson walk.  Senior Elizabeth Leonard drew a bases loaded walk to drive in a run and fellow senior Maria Schroeder followed with a two-run single to right center as the Braves took a 4-0 lead.

A RBI single by Allison Apke (Teutopolis graduate), who extended her hit streak to 14 games, made it 5-0 Bradley.  Schroeder would later race home on a passed ball and another passed ball on a Mahaffy strikeout kept the inning alive.  With the bases loaded, Wysocki ripped her second double of the inning to drive in three runs and push BU’s advantage to 9-0.  Junior Gabby Stoner capped the 10-run frame with a RBI single to left.

Southern Illinois (24-20 overall, 7-11 MVC) didn’t go quietly, however, getting on the scoreboard in the top of the third on a two-run homer off the bat of Katelyn Massa.

The Braves would push the lead back to 10 at 12-2 with two runs in the bottom half of the inning.  Leonard drew a two-out walk and Schroeder smashed a two-run homer to center.

The Schroeder home run pushed Bradley’s season total to 42, breaking the previous school season mark for homers (41) set in 2014.  In addition, Schroeder moved into the top 20 in MVC history in both career runs and career RBI, becoming just the third person in league history to rank among the top 20 in both categories.

With Bradley leading 12-2 in the top of the fifth, the Salukis were down to their last out before rallying for seven runs to keep the game alive.  Haley Andrus had a two-out pinch hit single and Maddy Vermejan cut the deficit to eight with an inside the park homer that rattled around the corner in right field.  A walk and back-to-back BU errors led to another SIU run.  With the bases loaded Sydney Jones belted a grand slam to right as the Salukis clawed back to make it a three-run contest at 12-9.

Bradley added an insurance run in the fifth when Leonard got caught in a run down on a bunt single and another in the sixth on a two-out Wysocki single to right, pushing the advantage to 14-9.

The first two SIU batters in the seventh reached base on a hit by pitch and walk, but Mahaffy settled down to induce a double play and a Fisher groundout closed out the win.  Mahaffy earned the victory out of the bullpen, giving up four hits in four innings of work to improve to 7-9 on the season.

Bradley opens a four-game road swing and closes out the three-game series with I-74 rival Illinois State Tuesday with a 5 p.m. game in Normal, Ill.


Illinois State Holds Drake to Three Runs

NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State softball team (18-27, 9-9 MVC) held the league-leading Drake Bulldogs (35-9, 18-0 MVC) to just three runs – its fewest since the series finale at Valparaiso – in Sunday’s series finale at Marian Kneer Stadium.

 After back-to-back unassisted ground outs to Allison Spence at first base, Drake drew a two-out walk to put a base runner on, but starting pitcher Shannon Felde and the Redbird defense held the Bulldogs off the scoreboard. The junior stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the frame and launched a one-out single to left center field, but was caught stealing for the final out of the opening inning.

The Bulldogs hit a lead-off single to left field and drew a two-out walk before a double to left field put Drake on the board, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. After loading up the bases, a single brought Drake’s second base runner home but Felde and the Redbirds worked out of the bases loaded jam to keep the Bulldogs ahead by just two runs.

Illinois State was sent down in order in the bottom of the second and bottom of the third to keep the Redbirds off base. In the top of the fourth, Drake’s starting pitcher Nicole Newman grounded into a double play for two quick outs before a pop up in foul territory to Brittni LaFountaine closed the inning. Right fielder Riley Hale led off the home half of the fourth with a single to right field, but a fielder’s choice kept the Redbird runner from reaching second base. A two-out single by Alyssa Wiebel put a pair of runners on for Illinois State, but the duo were left stranded and kept the Redbirds from scratching a run across.  

A lead-off single up the middle in the fifth forced Illinois State to make a pitching change, bringing Morgan Day to the circle. Drake added a run to the board to take a three-run lead. Drake led off with a bunt single in the sixth, but Drake’s Newman lined into her second double play of the game to record two more quick outs and a fly out to Kori Mesecher in left field ended the top of the inning.

In the bottom of the frame, Hale hit her second single of the game up the middle but back-to-back infield pop ups kept the junior on first base and the Redbirds off the board. In the seventh, pinch hitter Lauren Prader stepped up to the dish and singled to left field for the Redbirds’ fifth and final hit of the game, as the Bulldogs secured the 3-0 win to end the series and remain perfect in Valley play.

Bradley will make the return trip to Illinois State next Tuesday, April 24, at 5 p.m. for the third and final game of the series, after the two programs split the series-opening doubleheader last Thursday.

The series finale has been tabbed 'Pack the Park' night at Marian Kneer Stadium. In order to help Redbird Softball break the attendance record, the first 120 students will receive a ticket to cash in for Reggie Redbird socks at the fifth-inning stretch. Hot dogs will be on sale at the concession stand for $1, courtesy of Sodexo, and Alamo II will be on-site selling the latest Redbird apparel.


Jacksonville State Sweeps EIU

Kayla Bear led Eastern Illinois softball batting .571 on the day with four hits as Jacksonville State swept the Panthers. The Gamecocks took game one 5-2 and stole a 10-9 win in game two handing the Panthers their third straight loss.

EIU falls to 29-14 overall and 8-6 in the OVC while JSU improves to 25-19 overall and 13-3 in the OVC.

The Panthers return to action Wednesday April 25 with a non-conference match-up at Illinois starting at 5 pm.

Game 1

Jacksonville State beat Eastern Illinois 5-2 in game one of today's play. JSU recorded nine hits over seven innings, while the Panthers tallied six.

Kayla Bear finished game one going 3-for-4 at the plate opening the Panthers offensive play in the bottom of the first with a single through the right side. Mia Davis singled to short stop later in the inning advancing Bear to third base. Bear scored on the next play as Kendyl McKeough singled through the left side of the field giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead through the second.

JSU posted two runs in the top of the third inning off a two-run homer from Caitlyn Sapp. EIU tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Breya Cooper was walked with two outs recorded in the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch from Faith Sims. A single from Maria DeVito would advance Cooper to third base and a throwing error by center fielder Emily Woodruff led to Cooper scoring and tying the game at 2-2.

The Gamecocks rallied for four hits and three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Taylor Beshears would hit a double midway through the inning to tally three RBI giving JSU the 5-2 win.

Jessica Wireman pitched a complete game for EIU falling to 13-7 on the season while recorded six strikeouts. Sims recorded the win improving to 15-7 with six retired batters over the seven innings.

Game 2

In game two of today's doubleheader, the teams combined for 24 hits. JSU led with 14 hits, while the Panthers recorded 10. Mady Poulter, Haley Mitchell, and Davis all recorded two hits for EIU.

The Panthers recorded four hits and jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Kirsten Titus made the start on the mound for the Gamecocks walking the Panthers first two batters and giving up a two-run double to Mitchell. JSU brought in Nicole Rodriguez to pitch who gave up a two-run homer to Davis at her first batter faced of the inning. Andrea Roberts and Megan Burton both recorded singles following Davis' home run.

Michelle Rogers started on the mound for the Panthers and gave up seven runs and seven hits to the Gamecocks before Valerie Thompson was brought onto the mound. A three-run homer by Woodruff would highlight JSU's offensive spark in the second. EIU quickly turned around and scored three runs in the bottom of two tying the game up at 7-7. Bear led off doubling to right center and scored off Poulter's double to follow. Mitchell homered to left field at the next at bat tallying two RBI to complete the Panthers scoring efforts for the inning.

The Panthers added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, but could not hold onto the lead as JSU scored another three in the top of the sixth inning. Wireman came in to pitch for Thompson mid-way through the sixth after JSU scored one run off a Sapp single through the middle. The Gamecocks recorded three hits and three runs in the sixth to take a 10-9 lead winning the night cap.

Wireman collected the loss on the mound falling to 13-8. All three EIU pitchers recorded two strikeouts each in the game. JSU split time between four pitchers on the mound. Alexus Jimmerson gets the win improving to 7-4 on the season, while Sims tallies her fourth save of the season.