Softball Hosts Illinois To Open Busy Week

Duane Zehr, Bradley University ITPS

Softball 3/6/2018 9:49:00 AM

PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley Softball will play its first midweek game of the 2018 season Wednesday when the Braves host in-state foe Illinois for a 6 p.m. inside the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex Dome to kick off a busy week, which also includes five weekend games at the Louisville Classic in Louisville, Ky.

Wednesday's game against Illinois (8-6 overall) is the first of seven midweek dates on the schedule and the Braves are slated to play a total of eight midweek contests this spring. Bradley (7-8 overall) is coming off a 3-2 weekend the Blues City Classic in Memphis, Tenn., where it slugged a total of nine home runs and 20 extra-base hits in the five games.

In addition to Wednesday's home game against Illinois, Bradley will travel to the state of Kentucky for the first time since taking part in the 2014 Hilltopper Spring Fling in Bowling Green, Ky., for the Louisville Classic in Louisville, Ky., Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Braves open the weekend tournament Friday at 9 a.m. against Eastern Michigan (4-11 overall) in the first meeting with the Eagles since 1997 and will also play tournament-host Louisville (15-4 overall) later that day at 2 p.m. Saturday's action gets under way with a 9 a.m. contest against UMass (7-6 overall) in the first game in the series since 1998. Bradley will have rematches with Eastern Michigan Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and Louisville Sunday at 11:30 a.m. to wrap up the final non-conference weekend of the season.

The Illinois game and both weekend matchups with Louisville will be available on ESPN3 and can be viewed through WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app. In addition, BradleyBraves.com will provide links to live stats for all six games on this week's schedule.

Bradley is 3-2 in games played in the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex Dome with both losses to then fourth-ranked Washington and the Braves have played a total of 21 home games inside, owning a 17-4 record in those contests. Illinois and Bradley met last year for the first meeting between the squads since 2011. Wednesday's game will mark Bradley's first home game in the series since a 2008 doubleheader in East Peoria.

The Braves have made four previous trips to the state of Kentucky with all four coming in the last 16 years. Bradley owns a 9-7 record all-time in games played in the Blue Grass State and the Braves have posted a .500 record or better in all four of the previous trips to Kentucky.

Bradley has played one of the toughest schedules in the Missouri Valley Conference to date with opponents through March 4 owning a combined 153-101 record (.602). In fact, BU's eight losses have come at the hands of teams which were a combined 122-34 (.782) through Sunday. The 10 remaining non-conference opponents on the schedule were 84-69 (.549) heading into the week.

Through 15 games, Bradley is second in the Missouri Valley Conference with 14 home runs and the team's 36 extra-base hits rank third in the league. The Braves boast a .467 slugging percentage which leads the Valley by 50 points and would be 20 points higher than the best slugging percentage in school history of .447 set in 2016. The team's 14 home runs are nearly halfway to last season's total (30).

Senior Maria Schroeder brings a seven-game hit streak into Wednesday's game against Illinois, one short of matching the longest hit streak of her career. Schroeder, who is batting .500 (10-for-20) during her hit streak, is closing in on Bradley's career walks record, needing just five free passes to break the school record of 70 career walks set by Bailiegh Basham (2012-14). She is also close to breaking into the top 10 in Bradley history in career hits, currently seven Julie Jehle for 10th on The Hilltop.

Following the weekend trip to Kentucky, Bradley will stay on the road during Spring Break for a pair of midweek games at Austin Peay (March 13) and at Lipscomb (March 14) before opening Missouri Valley Conference play at home March 17 & 18 against Northern Iowa.

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Players Mentioned

#17 Maria Schroeder: UTL/C; 5' 6"; Senior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#17 Maria Schroeder
: 5' 6"; Senior; R/R
: UTL/C

Softball Hosts Illinois To Open Busy Week

Players Mentioned

#17 Maria Schroeder

Players Mentioned

#17 Maria Schroeder