PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley trailed heading into the bottom of the seventh inning for the second consecutive game and just like yesterday, the Braves used a late rally to pull out a 5-4 extra-inning victory against Wichita State Sunday afternoon at Laura Bradley Park to win the regular-season series against the Shockers. Bradley improved to 12-13 overall and 3-3 in Missouri Valley Conference play with the victory.
A day removed from using a three-run seventh inning rally to pull out a 5-4 win against Wichita State (11-18 overall, 2-4 MVC) in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, the Braves found themselves trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh frame Sunday afternoon in the series finale.
Junior Lindsay Watkins (Hopedale, Ill./Olympia/Parkland) led off the seventh with a single, but was thrown out at second base when Wichita State turned a double play on a failed sacrifice bunt attempt. Senior Miriam Wegmann (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) was intentionally walked for the second time on the day with the Braves trailing 4-3 and two outs. Freshman Jackie Roth (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) followed with a single and senior Alycia Bachkora (Overland Park, Kan./Notre Dame de Sion) drove in Wegmann from second with a single through the left side of the infield to tie the game at 4-4 and force extra innings.
After the Shockers failed to score in the top of the eighth inning, Bradley was able to plate a run in the bottom half to pull out the 5-4 come-from-behind victory. Freshman Julie Sherman (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Junior Amanda Clack (Hillsboro, Mo./Hillsboro) hit a fly ball to right center and Sherman tagged up at second. Sherman left for third as soon as Wichita State center fielder Lindsie Mitts touched the ball, but a bobble on the catch and errant throw allowed Sherman to score the game-winning run from second base and give the Braves a 5-4 victory.
Wichita State built a 3-0 lead after a pair of home runs off the bat of Kara L'Huillier. She belted a two-out solo homer in the first and connected on a two-out two-run bomb in the top of the third inning to put the Shockers ahead 3-0.
Bradley finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning. Wegmann, who hit .625 in the series with four doubles, led off the inning with a double to right center. A sacrifice bunt and base on balls put runners at the corners for Sherman who ripped a two-out, two-run triple to right center as the Braves trimmed the Shockers' lead to 3-2.
Wichita State answered with a run in the top of the fifth inning. Kiersten Dixon drew a walk and L'Huillier followed with a single to give the Shockers runners at first and second with one out. Dixon moved to third base on a fly out and Wichita State scored on a double steal to take a 4-2 lead.
The Braves threatened to score in the bottom half of the fifth after Clack led off the inning with a double. A sacrifice bunt moved Clack to third base, but Bradley came up empty.
Bachkora, who finished 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored, helped set up the Braves late game heroics when she led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a solo homer run to pull Bradley back to within one run at 4-3.
Senior Ashley Birdsong (Otis, Ore./Otis) went the distance in the circle for the Braves, striking out nine and walking four in the eight-inning complete game victory. She improved to 7-6 on the year with the win. The Braves matched their win total from last year with their 12th victory of the season and improved to 3-0 on the season in extra-inning games.
Bradley continues its season-long nine-game homestand Tuesday when the Braves host Western Illinois in a 6 p.m. doubleheader at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill.
