Box Score NORMAL, Ill. -- Sophomore Ashley Birdsong struck out nine and gave up just one unearned run and freshman Sara Loete belted a solo homer to lead off the sixth inning to help power the No. 7 seed Bradley softball team to a 2-1 victory over No. 6 seed Missouri State in the first round of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Thursday afternoon at the Redbird Softball Complex.
Bradley (26-22 overall) advances to tonight's second round and will face No. 3 seed and 22nd-ranked Southern Illinois at 6:30 p.m. Indiana State won the day's other game and will face No. 4 seed Wichita State at 4 p.m.
Missouri State (21-29 overall) struck first, capitalizing on a Bradley error in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Katie Martin ripped a single down the left field line and advanced all the way to third base on an error when she stole second. Martin came in to score when Elysha Swider hit a foul ball down the right field line.
A Missouri State error and sacrifice fly led to a Bradley run in the top of the fourth inning as the Braves tied the score 1-1. Sophomore Miriam Wegmann reached on a two-base throwing error to lead off the inning. Wegmann advanced to third on a groundout to the left side of the infield and came in to score when freshman Amanda Clack lifted a sacrifice fly to left center field.
Loete put the Braves in front when she led off the top of the fifth inning with a solo homer down the left field to line to give Bradley a 2-1 lead.
Senior Christine Cooney came up with the biggest play of the tournament in the top of the seventh inning to help the Braves hold on to their 2-1 lead. Cooney made a diving snag in the right center field gap on a ball off the bat of Jana Shewmaker to rob what could have been a leadoff double. Jen Carr got a two-out single, but Birdsong got Jessie Smith to pop out to end the game as the Braves picked up a win in their first MVC Tournament game since hosting the 2000 event.
After giving up the early unearned run, Birdsong settled down and dominated the Bears, striking out nine, while scattering five hits as she cruised to her 20th victory of the season. Birdsong (20-14) broke the Bradley season record for innings pitched, surpassing Amy Elza's old mark of 218.1 innings in 1996 and tied Beth Hawkins school season mark for complete games with her 27th of the year.
Missouri State received a solid performance from Melissa Porche, who surrendered just two hits, while striking out nine and walking three. Loete's homer and an Amanda Clack leadoff single in the second inning were the only hits for the Braves.
