Softball Closes Home Stand With Weekend Series Against SIU

Duane Zehr

Softball 4/20/2018 12:50:00 PM

PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley Softball will host Southern Illinois for a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series during the team's StrikeOut Cancer Weekend with the Braves and Salukis playing a noon doubleheader Saturday at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex before wrapping up the series Sunday with a single game at 11 a.m.

The teams enter the weekend separated by just a half game in the standings after Bradley (16-23 overall, 5-9 MVC) split a doubleheader with I-74 rival Illinois State Thursday. Southern Illinois (22-19 overall, 5-10 MVC) is a half game behind the Braves in the Valley standings with the Salukis dropping both games of a midweek doubleheader at Missouri State.

With 10 games remaining in the regular season, the Braves have nine games left against teams currently behind them in the standings. The only game on the schedule against a team ahead of Bradley in the standings is Tuesday's rubber game against I-74 rival Illinois State in Normal, Ill.

All three games of the series will be streamed on ESPN's new subscription service ESPN+ and BradleyBraves.com will provide links to live stats for all three contests.

Bradley Softball has partnered with the American Cancer Society for this weekend's StrikeOut Cancer Weekend event. Former Bradley Softball head coach Stefanie McAllister (1996-2001), who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer, will throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to Saturday's doubleheader. In addition, both Bradley and SIU will be wearing special warm up shirts featuring the names of loved ones who have battled cancer. Bradley will also host a Home Run Derby immediately following Sunday's 11 a.m. series finale. In addition, the Braves will conclude the weekend with a free post-game youth clinic following Sunday's contest. For more information about any of the weekend's activities or how to donate visit http://bubrav.es/2HLb3sy

Senior Maria Schroeder drew a walk in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against I-74 rival Illinois State to break Bradley's career walks mark. The base on balls was the 71st of Schroeder's career as she topped the previous school record for free passes of 70 held by Bailiegh Basham (2012-14). A .337 career hitter, Schroeder owns the fourth-best career on base percentage (.428) in Bradley history. She boasts a .400 (12-for-30) career batting average in nine games against Southern Illinois with three doubles, one homer, five runs and nine RBI.

Sophomore pitcher Emma Jackson missed nearly two weeks due to an injury, but returned to the circle for the March 14 doubleheader at Missouri State and has tossed a pair of complete games in her two outings since her return. Jackson, who struck out a career-best nine batters Thursday in the opener against Illinois State, is 0-2 in her last two starts despite boasting a 2.69 ERA. She has held hitters to a .217 average with 11 strikeouts in those two appearances. In Valley play, she has a 2.86 ERA in seven appearances while holding hitters to a .248 average.

Bradley slugged three home runs in Thursday's doubleheader against Illinois State, with freshman Stacia Seeton and sophomore Kealia Wysocki both belting their sixth homers of the season. For just the second time in program history and first time since 2014, the Braves have three players with six or more homers in a season with sophomore Allison Apke tied for the league lead with 10 home runs. Wysocki moved into a tie for ninth in school history with her 13th career homer. Seeton's six dingers are tied for third among Bradley freshman records, behind the BU freshman mark of seven Wysocki tied last season and originally set by Trish Kowalewski in 2005.

The Braves follow up the weekend series with Southern Illinois with a four-game road swing, opening the stretch Tuesday with a 5 p.m. game at Illinois State to wrap up the regular-season series with the Redbirds.

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