PEORIA, Ill. -- The Bradley softball team will travel west for the third time in four weekends, making the program's first trip to the state of Colorado for five games at the Colorado State Classic in Ft. Collins, Colo., Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Braves (8-6) closed out the month of February with an 8-6 record, marking the most victories in the month of February in program history. The previous record for wins in the month of February was seven set last year and BU boasts a winning record heading into March for the first time since posting a 6-4 record in February 2010.
Bradley will put its longest win streak (5) since the 2009 season on the line Friday, opening tournament play with a 10 a.m. (CST) game against Nebraska-Omaha (13-1 overall). The Mavericks and Braves will be meeting for just the second time, with Friday's contest marking the first game in the series since the two teams played in Cedar Falls, Iowa, during the 1989 season.
Friday's action also includes the first of two matchups with tournament-host Colorado State (6-9 overall), with the teams playing a 2:30 p.m. (CST) game. Bradley will also close out the weekend against the Rams Sunday at 12:15 p.m. (CST).
The Braves will face Brown (10-27 in 2012 & 0-0 in 2013) Saturday at 2:30 p.m. (CST) in the first of two games on the 2013 schedule against an Ivy League opponent. Bradley has not faced an Ivy League foe since the last meeting with the Bears in 1998 and is 2-0 all-time against Brown.
Saturday's action also includes a 4:45 p.m. (CST) game against 18th-ranked Washington (10-5 overall). The Huskies are the fourth ranked opponent for the Braves this season and fourth Pac-12 foe in 2013. The four games against ranked teams would be the most for Bradley since 2010 and the teams are also slated to play against next week at the Husky Softball Classic in Seattle, Wash. (March 8 & 9).
Junior Alyson Clemente (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley) has been on a tear of late and is one of two Bradley players bringing six-game hitting streaks into the weekend. The top hitter in the Missouri Valley Conference with a .524 batting average, she also leads the Valley with a .600 on base percentage.
Clemente is hitting .737 (14-for-19) with 11 runs scored, five doubles, one triple, one homer and 13 RBI during her six-game hit streak. She had three doubles in her four-hit game against Morgan State, a five-inning victory, marking the first three double game for a Bradley player since Jess Boeger had three doubles in a nine-inning game against UTEP on Feb. 16, 2008. Clemente has scored or driven in 28 of Bradley's 86 runs (33 percent).
Sophomore Brittany Burgess (Utica, Ill./St. Bede) also earned all-tournament honors at last week's Tiger Invitational and has a six-game hit streak heading into the weekend. She is 11-for-16 (.688) with seven runs scored, three stolen bases and one RBI over the last six games to help pace a Bradley offense which has averaged 11.6 runs over the last five outings.
Senior Mackenzie Camp (Mapleton, Ill./Limestone) returned from an injury which sidelined her for the Lobo Classic (Feb. 15-17) to earn three wins at the Tiger Invitational and was named to the all-tournament team. Camp was 3-0 with a 1.43 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 14.2 innings last weekend.
Junior Brianne Joseph (Post Falls, Idaho/Post Falls) has gotten on base 55 percent of the time she leads off an inning and is third in the MVC in runs scored (15). An all-tournament pick at the Tiger Invitational, Joseph hit .412 with seven runs, three doubles, one triple and two RBI last weekend.
Following the trip to Colorado State, Bradley will make its first trip to the state of Washington for the final weekend of play before the Missouri Valley Conference schedule begins. The Braves will play a single game at Seattle March 7, before playing in the Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash., March 8 & 9.
