PEORIA, Ill. -- Senior Ashley Birdsong (Otis, Ore./Taft) tossed a pair of complete game shutouts to help power Bradley to a pair of 2-0 victories against Indiana State in a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at Laura Bradley Park. The Braves (18-26 overall, 9-12 MVC) moved up two spots into seventh place in the MVC standings with the sweep of the Sycamores.
Birdsong gave up just three hits and one walk while striking out 19 in the two wins. In the opener, she struck out 12 and surrendered singles in the first and fourth inning. Junior Janay Mitchell (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) highlighted Bradley's offensive efforts, going 3-for-4 with three doubles and three runs scored.
The Braves gave Birdsong all the run support she would need with a run in the bottom of the first inning in the first game. Mitchell slapped a double down the left field line and moved to third on a bunt single by senior Alycia Bachkora (Overland Park, Kan./Notre Dame de Sion). Mitchell raced home on a squeeze play as senior Miriam Wegmann (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) bunted to drive her in and give Bradley a 1-0 lead.
Indiana State's (17-24 overall, 9-13 MVC) Darcy Wood turned in a solid outing, striking out six while scattering five hits and two earned runs. The MVC's career strikeout leader, Wood settled down after giving up the early run by limiting the Braves to one hit over the next four innings.
Mitchell got things started again with a one-out double to left center in the bottom of the sixth. Wegmann collected her second RBI of the day with a single to right field to plate Mitchell from second and push the Braves' lead to 2-0. Birdsong sat the Sycamores down in order in the top of the seventh inning to pick up her seventh shutout of the year as she improved to 11-10 on the year.
Birdsong was equally as dominate in the second game, carrying a no hitter into the seventh inning. Despite the offensive struggles, Indiana State threatened to score in top of the second inning. Britt Boyer drew a 13-pitch base on balls and a Bradley throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt gave the Sycamores runners at first and second with no outs. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, before Birdsong struck out the next two batters to keep Indiana State off the scoreboard.
Indiana State's Meagan McCurdy also pitched out of a jam in the bottom of the third inning after freshman Jackie Roth (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) drew a walk and junior Lindsay Watkins (Hopedale, Ill./Olympia/Parkland) followed with a bunt single to lead off the inning. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, but McCurdy struck out the next two hitters to end the inning.
Mitchell finished off a 3-for-4 day with a bunt double to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. The Braves caught a break when Mitchell's bunt to open the inning was knocked to the backstop by a diving Audrey Childress rushing in from third base, allowing Mitchell to safely advance to second base on the play for her third double of the afternoon. Bachkora drew a walk and a passed ball put runners at second and third with no outs. Junior Jacqueline Vitale (Indian Head Park, Ill./Lyons Township) drove in Mitchell with a one-out single up the middle and junior Amanda Clack (Hillsboro, Mo./Hillsboro) knocked in Bachkora from third with a ground ball to second base to give Bradley a 2-0 lead heading into the seventh.
Birdsong took her no-hit bid into the seventh inning with the heart of the Indiana State order due up. Katie Armour, the MVC's leading hitter at .436 to start the day, led off the frame with a ground ball just out of the reach of a diving Watkins at second base for the Sycamores first hit of the nightcap. Birdsong retired the next three batters she faced to close out her career-best eighth shutout of the year. She struck out seven and walked one as she improved to 12-10 on the season.
Bradley closes out the regular-season with a three-game series against Missouri State at Laura Bradley Park. The three-game set starts with a noon doubleheader Saturday and concludes with a single game at noon on Sunday. A Red Out is scheduled for Saturday's doubleheader in addition to Parents Appreciation Day. Seniors Alycia Bachkora, Ashley Birdsong, Anne Creighton, Katy Dammer and Miriam Wegmann will be recognized on Sunday.
The Braves will also host next week's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament (May 7-9) at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill. Creighton, Southern Illinois, Drake and Northern Iowa along with Bradley have already locked up spots in the eight-team single-elimination tournament.
