PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley Softball returns to Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex to open a five-game home stand with a midweek doubleheader against I-74 rival Illinois State Wednesday afternoon.  First pitch for the twinbill between the Braves and Redbirds is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. 

Illinois State (25-15 overall, 8-5 MVC) is the only team currently in the top five in the Valley standings Bradley (15-22 overall, 4-8 MVC) has yet to play.  Wednesday's contests feature the MVC teams that have played the toughest schedules to date with the Braves playing the 47th toughest schedule in the country through April 15 and the Redbirds owning the 32nd hardest schedule. 

Both games of Wednesday's doubleheader will be available on The Valley on ESPN3 and can be viewed through WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.  In addition, BradleyBraves.com will provide links to live stats for the two contests.

After playing three consecutive MVC road series and eight of the last nine games away from home, Bradley will play eight of the final 12 regular-season contests at home.  In fact, Wednesday's doubleheader against I-74 rival Illinois State opens a five-game home stand which also includes a three-game weekend series against Southern Illinois.  The Braves are 6-6 at home this season and only SIU (17) has played more home games than Bradley this spring.  BU has already doubled its home win total from last year and this week's home contests would give Bradley its most home games in a season since 2015 (18). 

Sophomore Allison Apke has been on a bit of a role since going hitless in Bradley's last MVC home game against Loyola back on March 23.  Apke brings a career-best nine-game hit streak into Wednesday's doubleheader against Illinois State, boasting a .464 average with two doubles, two homers, six RBI and seven runs during that stretch.  In fact, she has reached base in 18 of 33 plate appearances (three walks & two HBP) for a .545 on base percentage. 

Apke, who is hitting .395 in Valley play, has had hits in 13 of the last 14 games since the Valley opener against UNI on March 18 and has a .442 average with five homers and 15 RBI during that stretch.  Apke was named MVC Player of the Week Monday, earning the honor for the first time in her career after hitting .625 in three games last week. 

Sophomore Kealia Wysocki belted a three-run, pinch hit homer in the seventh inning of Saturday's series opener at Missouri State for her first pinch hit of the year.  Wysocki, who is now 1-for-4 on the year in pinch hitting situations, was 4-for-9 last year with a pair of homers in a pinch hitting role.  In fact, she hit a pinch hit grand slam against the Bears last year in a 9-1 Bradley victory and has a school record three career pinch hit homers.  In her career, Wysocki is 5-for-13 (.385) with a double, three homers and eight RBI as a pinch hitter.  On the year, she is tied for second on the team with five home runs.

Bradley will follow up Wednesday's doubleheader against Illinois State with a three-game weekend home series against Southern Illinois Saturday and Sunday.  The Braves and Salukis open the series with a noon doubleheader Saturday at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.