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Bradley University Athletics

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3
Winner Illinois State ILS 18-23, 9-5 MVC
2
Bradley BRAD 15-23, 4-9 MVC
Winner
Illinois State ILS
18-23, 9-5 MVC
3
Final
2
Bradley BRAD
15-23, 4-9 MVC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Illinois State ILS 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 6 0
Bradley BRAD 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 5 1

W: Finck, Sarah (9-12) L: Jackson, Emma (6-5)

3
Illinois State ILS 18-24, 9-6 MVC
6
Winner Bradley BRAD 16-23, 5-9 MVC
Illinois State ILS
18-24, 9-6 MVC
3
Final
6
Bradley BRAD
16-23, 5-9 MVC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Illinois State ILS 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 3 9 1
Bradley BRAD 3 2 0 0 0 1 X 6 7 0

W: Mahaffy, Megan (6-9) L: Day, Morgan (7-7) S: Thompson, Taise (1)

Duane Zehr

Braves Split With Illinois State

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Game Recap: Softball |
PEORIA, Ill. – After falling 3-2 in the opening game of a doubleheader against I-74 rival Illinois State Thursday afternoon, Bradley Softball rebounded for a 6-3 victory in the nightcap at the Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex to split with the Redbirds. 
 
Freshman Stacia Seeton hit a first-inning three-run homer to open the scoring in the second game and sophomore Kealia Wysocki added a solo homer in the second inning to highlight the second-game victory. The Braves scored six of their eight runs on the day on homers with junior Megan Mahaffy hitting a two-run shot in the opener.
 
Sophomore Emma Jackson had a career-high nine strikeouts in the opener, but Illinois State (18-24 overall, 9-6 MVC) rallied late to top the Braves (16-23 overall, 5-9 MVC) 3-2. 
 
She fanned six batters in the first three innings before the Redbirds were able to push a run across in the top of the fourth.  Allison Spence led off the frame with a double and Illinois State would later take a 1-0 lead on a RBI single by Alyssa Weibel. 
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Mahaffy followed a Jillian Navarro infield single with a home run to left as Bradley grabbed a 2-1 lead. 
 
The lead was short lived, however, with Illinois State answering with two runs in the top of the sixth.  Spence was hit by a pitch to lead things off and Wiebel kept the inning alive with a two-out single.  Caitlyn Daly drove in both base runners with a double to left center to give the Redbirds a 3-2 advantage. 
 
The Braves tried to rally in the seventh with sophomore Wysocki drawing a two-out, nine-pitch walk.  Bradley had the game-winning run on base after an Elizabeth Leonard single, but Illinois State's Sarah Finck got a fielder's choice to close out the 3-2 ISU victory. 
 
Jackson scattered six hits and three runs in the complete game effort as she dropped to 6-5 on the season with the setback.
 
Bradley wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in the nightcap.  After Mahaffy worked around a leadoff double for a scoreless top of the first, Leonard led off the BU half of the inning with a walk.  Sophomore Allison Apke, who extended her hit streak to 11 games with first-inning hits in both contests, had a single and Seeton delivered the big hit of the inning with a three-run homer to left center to stake Mahaffy and the Braves to a 3-0 lead.
 
Wysocki led off the bottom of the second with a solo homer and the Braves added another run in the inning on a Leonard RBI double.  Freshman Taise Thompson followed the Wysocki homer with a single to chase ISU starter Morgan Day from the circle and she came around to score on Leonard's second double of the year to push the Bradley advantage to 5-0. 
 
Mahaffy retired nine consecutive Redbirds after the leadoff double to start the outing before surrendering a walk to open the fourth.  Back-to-back singles later in the inning led to a run and Illinois State scored another run on an inning ending double play to pull the Redbirds within three at 5-2. 
 
The Braves added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth without a hit.  Leonard drew a walk and moved all the way to third on a wild pitch and passed ball.  Senior Maria Schroeder drove her home from with a sacrifice fly to right as Bradley built a 6-2 lead. 
 
Daly capped a three-hit day with an infield single to open the Redbird half of the seventh and ISU had a pair of runners on after an Abby Turczyn single.  Thompson took over in the circle for Mahaffy with one out and two on to give up a RBI single to Riley Hale.  A flyout and groundout would end the Illinois State threat, however, as Thompson earned her first career save. 
 
Mahaffy earned the victory for Bradley in the second game, giving up eight hits and three runs in 6.1 innings of work to improve to 6-9. 
 
Bradley continues a five-game home stand with a three-game weekend series against Southern Illinois.  The Braves and Salukis open the set Saturday with a noon doubleheader at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex. 
 
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Players Mentioned

Allison Apke

#16 Allison Apke

IF
5' 6"
Sophomore
R/R
Emma Jackson

#7 Emma Jackson

RHP
5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
Elizabeth Leonard

#5 Elizabeth Leonard

INF
5' 9"
Senior
L/R
Megan Mahaffy

#3 Megan Mahaffy

RHP
5' 6"
Junior
R/R
Maria Schroeder

#17 Maria Schroeder

UTL/C
5' 6"
Senior
R/R
Kealia Wysocki

#19 Kealia Wysocki

C/U
5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
Taise Thompson

#1 Taise Thompson

P/U
Freshman
R/R
Stacia Seeton

#13 Stacia Seeton

IF
Freshman
R/R
Jillian Navarro

#24 Jillian Navarro

OF
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Allison Apke

#16 Allison Apke

5' 6"
Sophomore
R/R
IF
Emma Jackson

#7 Emma Jackson

5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
RHP
Elizabeth Leonard

#5 Elizabeth Leonard

5' 9"
Senior
L/R
INF
Megan Mahaffy

#3 Megan Mahaffy

5' 6"
Junior
R/R
RHP
Maria Schroeder

#17 Maria Schroeder

5' 6"
Senior
R/R
UTL/C
Kealia Wysocki

#19 Kealia Wysocki

5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
C/U
Taise Thompson

#1 Taise Thompson

Freshman
R/R
P/U
Stacia Seeton

#13 Stacia Seeton

Freshman
R/R
IF
Jillian Navarro

#24 Jillian Navarro

Freshman
R/R
OF