Bradley Softball Finishes 1-3 at Kajikawa Classic

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Published on February 11 2019 6:22 am
Last Updated on February 11 2019 6:22 am

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Bradley Softball was down to its last out, trailing Seattle 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded when junior Kealia Wysocki was credited for a bases clearing triple as the Braves came away with a 5-4 walk-off victory Friday afternoon at the Kajikawa Classic.

Wysocki collected two of Bradley’s four hits in the game, including the game winning three-run triple in the bottom of the seventh.  Junior Emma Jackson picked up the complete game victory in the circle for Bradley (1-1 overall), giving up four unearned runs and striking out five.

Junior Brooklyn Bane got things started for the Braves in the bottom of the seventh when she reached on an error with her squad trailing 4-2.  Senior Gabby Stoner drew a two-out walk and junior Allison Apke legged out an infield single to load the bases.  Wysocki’s fly ball down the right field line popped out of the glove of Seattle (0-1 overall) outfielder Ally Choate who was on the run, allowing all three base runners to come home for a 5-4 walk off victory.

Seattle had scored the first four runs of the contest, plating a run in the top of the second thanks to a pair of Bradley errors and adding another run in the third after Madison Cathcart reached on an error to open the inning and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Redhawks added two more runs in the top of the fourth.  A two-out double by Alyson Matriotti drove in one run and Choate followed with a RBI single of her own to push the Seattle lead to 4-0.

Seattle starter Carley Nance didn’t allow a hit through the first three innings, with Wysocki ripping the first hit of the game for the Braves with a two-out single in the fourth.  The Braves weren’t able to strike for a run until the bottom of the fifth.

Arizona native, Stacia Seeton was hit by a pitch to lead things off in the fifth and freshman Samantha Smith followed with a double down the right field line.  Seeton came home from third on a passed ball to cut the Seattle lead to 4-1.  Walks to Bane and freshman Lucy Mead loaded the bases for Stoner, who drew a walk to plate another run.  Bradley left the bases loaded in the inning, however, and trailed 4-2 until the late seventh-inning rally.

After allowing five hits and stranding six Seattle runners in the first four innings, Jackson settled down to retire the Redhawks in order in the fifth.  She worked around a one-out single in the sixth and a one-out double in the seventh in the complete game effort.

Teutopolis graduate Allison Apke had a single for Bradley.


Weber State 10, Bradley 2

TEMPE, Ariz. – Bradley led 2-0 after the top of the first, but Weber State scored 10 unanswered runs to top the Braves 10-2 in five innings during the second day of action at the Kajikawa Classic Saturday afternoon.

For the first time on the young season Bradley (1-2 overall) was able to jump out to an early lead.  Freshman Lucy Mead got things started with a bunt single in the top of the first and quickly moved to third on a pair of passed balls.  The Braves had runners at second and third with no outs after a fielder’s choice and stolen base by senior Gabby Stoner.  Junior Allison Apke drove in both runners with a two-run single up the middle as Bradley had an early 2-0 lead.

Weber State (2-1 overall) answered with three runs in the bottom half of the first, however.  Takesha Saltern hit a comebacker to Bradley starter Megan Mahaffy for a double to lead things off for the Wildcats and Landi Hawker followed with a single to put runners at second and third.  Faith Hoe drove in both runners with a triple down the right field line to tie it up at 2-2.  A Bradley error which would have ended the inning allowed another run to cross as Weber State grabbed a 3-2 lead.

The Wildcats batted around in the bottom of the second, pushing four runs home to push the advantage to 7-2.  Weber State had runners at second and third with one out after a walk and single to open the inning.  Another Bradley error allowed the first run of the inning and Brooke Moeai drove in another run with a double to left.  Weber State scored a run on a groundout and it was a 7-2 lead for the Wildcats on a Payton Hergert RBI single. Bradley drew a one-out walk in the fourth, otherwise Weber State Tatiana Su’esu’e kept the Braves off the base paths in the final three frames.

Senior Julie Kestas retired Weber State in order in the third after taking over in the circle to close the second inning, but Weber State was able to tack on three more runs in the fourth.  A single, wild pitch and another single led to a run.  Faith Hoe, who drove in four in the game, plated another run with a RBI single and Lauren Hoe later knocked in a run with a single through the left side.

Su’esu’e got a pair of groundouts and a strikeout in the top of the fifth to close out the 10-2 win for Weber State as she held Bradley to three hits in the complete game victory.

Mead has collected a hit in each of her first three games as a Brave, while freshman Camryn Monteer was 1-for-2 at the plate in her Bradley debut.


Oregon 13, Bradley 3

Bradley scored the first run of the contest without putting a ball in play and had a 3-0 lead after the top of the first inning, but #12/25 Oregon answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning and went to top the Braves 13-3 Saturday afternoon during the second day of play at the Kajikawa Classic.

The first three Bradley (1-3 overall) batters in the contest all drew walks with Oregon starter Maddie MacGrandle throwing just one strike in her first 17 pitches.  Junior Kealia Wysocki had a one-out, bases-loaded walk of her own to drive in junior Brooklyn Bane with the first of the game.  Later in the inning, freshman Lucy Mead smacked a two-out single to right which scored Gabby Stoner and Allison Apke as the Braves took an early 3-0 lead.

Oregon (4-0 overall) responded by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first to go in front 4-3.  The Ducks had a pair of runners on after a walk and fielder’s choice to start the inning and scored a run when the Braves committed an error on a Rachel Cid single.  A sacrifice fly allowed another run to cross and Oregon tied it up at 3-3 with a run on a BU error on a stolen base.  April Utecht gave Oregon a 4-3 lead with a one-out RBI single up the middle.

The Braves threatened again in the top of the second after loading the bases.  Freshman Camryn Monteer walked to open the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch.  Apke earned the second of her three walks in the game and sophomore Stacia Seeton also walked to load the bases with two outs.  MacGrandle got out of the inning unscathed, however, ending the threat with a strikeout.

A two-out Oregon rally in the bottom half of the second allowed the Ducks to push the lead to 6-3.  A two-out single by Allee Bunker kept the inning alive for Cid, who ripped a two-run homer to right center.

Oregon added two more in the third to take an 8-3 lead and got out of another bases loaded jam in the top of the fourth. Stoner had a two-out double to left and Apke followed with another walk to keep the inning alive.  Seeton walked again to load the bases only to have MacGrandle getting another strikeout to get out of the inning.

A five-run bottom of the fourth gave Oregon a 13-3 lead.  A Bradley error to open the inning and back-to-back singles led to the first run of the frame.  After a walk loaded the bases, Lexi Wagner had a RBI single and another run came home on the second error by the Braves in the inning.  Oregon was able to push another run across on a fielder’s choice and Cid drove in her third run of the game with a RBI single to cap the scoring.

MacGrandle followed a groundout to start the top of the fifth with back-to-back strikeouts as she struck out 10 in her first victory of the season for Oregon.


Utah 2, Bradley 1

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Playing its third Pac-12 Conference opponent in as many days, Bradley Softball wrapped up play at the season-opening Kajikawa Classic with a 2-1 loss to Utah Sunday afternoon at the Tempe Sports Complex.

Freshman Grace French had a solid outing in her first career pitching start as a Brave, scattering six hits and giving up two runs (one earned) in a complete game effort.  French struck out four and walked three in her seven full innings of work.

Utah starter Sydney Sandez was equally impressive, however, as she took a three-hit shutout into the seventh before the Braves were finally able to get on the scoreboard.  Sandez walked just one and struck out two as she held Bradley (1-4 overall) to four hits.

Utah (4-1 overall) struck for a run in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead.  A single and walk put a pair of runners on before French settled down to strike out the next two hitters.  Makayla Hurst ripped a two-out single to center to drive in Julie Nokin from second as the Utes grabbed a 1-0 lead.

 Bradley threatened in the bottom of the second, but left a pair of runners in scoring position.  Sophomore Stacia Seeton led off the frame with a walk and junior Kealia Wysocki followed with a double to left center.  A strikeout, fielder’s choice and pop out ended the threat however.

French sat Utah down in order in both the second and third, before the Utes took advantage of a Bradley error in the fourth.  Hurst singled to open the inning and pinch runner Ryley Ball would eventually come around to score on a groundout by pinch hitter Jordyn Gasper to give Utah a 2-0 advantage.

The Utes threatened again in the sixth, but French worked around a one-out double and walk to keep Utah from adding any insurance runs.

Sandez was equally efficient for the Utes though, sitting Bradley down in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth before the Braves were able to mount another late-inning rally.

Seeton led off the inning with a single and Wysocki was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on.  Pinch runner Brooklyn Bane was able to move to third on a fly ball to the outfield and later scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman Samantha Smith to trim the Utah lead to 2-1.  Sandez struck out the next batter she faced to close out the 2-1 win for the Utes.

Bradley heads West next weekend, traveling to Las Cruces, N.M., for the Troy Cox Classic Feb. 15-17 with the Braves opening the tournament Friday at 12:30 p.m. (CST) against Montana.