PEORIA, Ill. -- The Bradley softball team heads west for the second consecutive weekend, heading to California for the third time in the last four seasons for the Stanford Nike Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif., Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Braves (0-5 overall) are looking for their first victory of the season after a tough opening weekend at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Bradley's first five opponents combined for an impressive 17-8 (.680) record through the first week of the season and BU's last four opponents own a 16-4 (.800) mark through Sunday.
The trip to California will be the first since Bradley played in the 2012 Stanford Nike Invite and the fourth in program history. The Braves went 2-3 last time in the Golden State, picking up victories against Nevada and Pacific. Bradley will face Pacific (1-0 overall) again on this trip, taking on the Tigers Friday in the opener at 2:15 p.m. (CST) and again Saturday at noon (CST). The Braves split a pair of games against Pacific in 2012 in Palo Alto, Calif.
Bradley concludes both Friday's and Saturday's action with games against 14th-ranked Stanford, which is off to a 6-0 start to the year. The Braves will face the Cardinal for the third consecutive year and are looking for the first win against Stanford after dropping the previous meetings. Friday's game is slated for 6:45 p.m. (CST) and Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. (CST).
The tournament concludes Sunday with a 2 p.m. (CST) game against Cal Poly (2-3 overall). Sunday's matchup is the second between the Braves and the Mustangs after Cal Poly defeated Bradley at the 2011 Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
San Jose, Calif., native Shannon King went 5-for-16 (.313) with two runs, one triple and three RBI as a freshman when Bradley played in the 2012 Stanford Invitational. She is one of three Braves returning to their home state this weekend with senior Alex Chandler (Needles, Calif./Needles) and junior Alyson Clemente (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley) also calling the Golden State home.
Chandler slugged two doubles and a home run during the opening weekend of play. She was Bradley's top hitter last weekend, going 5-for-12 (.417) with a pair of stolen bases, two runs and three RBI in the five games. Chandler, who led the team with six home runs last spring, is one home run from breaking into Bradley's career top 10 in the category.
Senior Bailiegh Basham (Mattoon, Ill./Mattoon/Lake Land C.C.) delivered a pinch-hit home run in her first at bat since missing the final 10 games of the 2013 season. Basham, who hit .333 over the weekend, drew three walks at the Kajikawa Classic and is closing in on the Bradley career walks mark. She needs eight base on balls to break Julie Jehle's school record of 69 free passes.
Fellow senior Madeline Lynch-Crumrine (Sedro-Woolley, Wash./Sedro-Woolley) is also nearing a milestone. She enters the weekend with 298 career strikeouts and is two short of becoming the sixth pitcher in school to strikeout 300 batters. Lynch-Crumrine is 19 strikeouts from passing Amy Elza for fifth in program history.
Following the trip to California, Bradley will make its first trip to the state of Kentucky since 2009 for the Hilltopper Spring Fling, Feb. 22 & 23 in Bowling Green, Ky.
