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7
Winner Bradley BRAD 2-4
6
Montana UM 1-6
Winner
Bradley BRAD
2-4
7
Final
6
Montana UM
1-6
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Bradley BRAD 0 2 4 0 0 1 0 7 8 2
Montana UM 0 1 4 0 0 1 0 6 11 0

W: Kestas, Julie (1-0) L: Driscoll, Colleen (1-1)

Duane Zehr, Bradley University ITPS

Softball Powers Up For 7-6 Win Over Montana

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Game Recap: Softball |
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Junior Kealia Wysocki hit a pair of homers and Bradley slugged four home runs as the Braves topped Montana 7-6 Friday afternoon to open play at the Troy Cox Classic.
 
Wysocki turned in the ninth multi-homer effort on record in Bradley history, hitting a two-run homer in the second and adding a solo shot in the third.  She is the first Bradley player with multiple homers in a game since senior Katie Habryle and current Bradley assistant coach Rachel Huggins both had multi-homer games in each part of a doubleheader at Wichita State on April 16, 2016. 
 
The victory was Bradley head coach Amy Hayes' 208th win as coach of the Braves as she passed Clint Wilson for the most coaching wins in program history.
 
Bradley (2-4 overall) opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the second.  Sophomore Stacia Seeton singled to leadoff the inning and Wysocki followed with a two-run homer to right center. 
 
Montana (1-6 overall) answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning.  A two-out walk proved costly as Lexi Knaus followed a single with a RBI double to cut the Bradley lead in half at 2-1. 
 
The Braves added four insurance runs on three homers in the top of the third to push the advantage to 6-1.  Freshman Lucy Mead hit a one-out solo homer to left center.  Senior Gabby Stoner had an infield single and moved to second on a wild pitch before junior Allison Apke ripped her first home run of the year, hitting a two-run shot down the right field line on a full count.  The homer was the 16th of Apke's career, moving her into a tie for third in Bradley history.
 
After a pitching change, Wysocki left the yard again with her second homer of the contest.  The solo home run gave the Braves a 6-1 advantage and was her 15th career dinger as she moved into a tie for sixth all-time at Bradley. 
 
Montana would once again answer in its half of the inning, pushing four runs across in the bottom of the third to keep the Bradley lead at one (6-5).  The second BU error of the game helped lead to the four-run frame for the Grizzlies.  The first run of the inning came home on a two-out single off the bat of Kylie Hayton and Brooklyn Weisgram followed with a three-run homer to left. 
 
Senior pitcher Julie Kestas took over in the circle for Grace French to get out of a jam in the fourth and she sat Montana down in order in the fifth. 
 
A two-out rally in the Bradley half of the sixth pushed across an important insurance run.  Freshman Samantha Smith started the rally with a two-out double and scored on a pinch-hit single by Taise Thompson as the Braves took a 7-5 lead. 
 
Montana didn't go quietly, however, plating a run in the bottom half of the sixth.  A walk and one-out double by Knaus put runners at second and third for Cami Sellers, who drove in a run with a double down the right field line.  With the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, Kestas settled down to strike out the next two batters and preserve the 7-6 Bradley lead. 
 
The Grizzlies tied to rally again in the bottom of the seventh.  A pinch-hit double with two outs by Jessica McAlister kept the game going and Weisgram drew a walk to put two runners on.  Kestas got Kylie Becker to fly out to end the game as she earned her first victory of the season.
 
Kestas struck out six batters in 3.2 innings of work out of the bullpen in the win. 
 
Bradley returns to action later today at the Troy Cox Classic, taking on tournament-host New Mexico State at 7 p.m. (CST). 
 
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Players Mentioned

Allison Apke

#16 Allison Apke

IF
5' 6"
Junior
R/R
Katie Habryle

#25 Katie Habryle

C/IF
5' 9"
Senior
R/R
Julie Kestas

#15 Julie Kestas

RHP
5' 8"
Senior
R/R
Stacia Seeton

#13 Stacia Seeton

OF
5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
Gabby Stoner

#11 Gabby Stoner

OF/U
5' 10"
Senior
L/R
Taise Thompson

#1 Taise Thompson

P/U
5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
Kealia Wysocki

#19 Kealia Wysocki

C/U
5' 9"
Junior
R/R
Grace French

#32 Grace French

P/UT
5' 4"
Freshman
R/R
Lucy Mead

#4 Lucy Mead

IF/UT
5' 8"
Freshman
L/R
Samantha Smith

#12 Samantha Smith

OF/C
5' 6"
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Allison Apke

#16 Allison Apke

5' 6"
Junior
R/R
IF
Katie Habryle

#25 Katie Habryle

5' 9"
Senior
R/R
C/IF
Julie Kestas

#15 Julie Kestas

5' 8"
Senior
R/R
RHP
Stacia Seeton

#13 Stacia Seeton

5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
OF
Gabby Stoner

#11 Gabby Stoner

5' 10"
Senior
L/R
OF/U
Taise Thompson

#1 Taise Thompson

5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
P/U
Kealia Wysocki

#19 Kealia Wysocki

5' 9"
Junior
R/R
C/U
Grace French

#32 Grace French

5' 4"
Freshman
R/R
P/UT
Lucy Mead

#4 Lucy Mead

5' 8"
Freshman
L/R
IF/UT
Samantha Smith

#12 Samantha Smith

5' 6"
Freshman
R/R
OF/C