EAST PEORIA, Ill. ? Bradley junior catcher Jacqueline Vitale (Indian Head Park, Ill./Lyons Township) hit a one-out bases loaded single to break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the Bradley softball team a 3-2 victory over Missouri State in the opening round of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference softball championships at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill.

The Braves loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth after a leadoff single from Lindsay Watkins (Hopedale, Ill./Parkland/Olympia), followed by a walk and a hit batsman.  With only one out in the inning, Vitale singled through the hole on the right side to score Watkins for the 3-2 win.

The Braves struck first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning.  Senior shortstop Miriam Wegmann (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) started the frame with a single to left-center field and quickly stole second base.  After moving to third on a groundout, Wegmann scored on a play at the plate on a bunt from junior center fielder Amanda Clack (Hillsboro, Mo./Hillsboro H.S.), allowing junior center fielder Clack to reach first on a fielder's choice. 

Two batters later, Clack collected Bradley's second stolen base of the inning and scored on an RBI double from senior right fielder Anne Creighton (Glide, Ore./Glide H.S.) for a 2-0 BU lead.

Missouri State battled back in the top of third to force a 2-2 tie.  Designated player Christa Gammon drilled a one-out double to left-center field to score Ashley Arbon to trim the deficit to 2-1, followed by a single from shortstop Jessie Smith to score Gammon to tie the game at 2-2.

The Braves threatened to score the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning when senior first baseman Alycia Bachkora (Overland Park, Kan./Notre Dame de Sion) doubled off the base of the left field wall to lead off the inning.  With junior Megan O'Malley (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) pinch running for Bachkora at second base, Missouri State relief pitcher Natalie Rose coaxed a popout, strikeout and flyout to end the threat with O'Malley stranded at second.

Bradley starting pitcher Ashley Birdsong (Otis, Ore./Taft) won her sixth consecutive decision in the circle for the Braves, allowing two runs on six over eight innings to improve to 16-10 on the year.  Wegmann and Watkins finished the game with two hits each.  Rose took the loss for the Bears in relief.