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6
Winner Drake DU 15-13, 3-1 MVC
1
Bradley BRAD 14-12, 2-2 MVC
Winner
Drake DU
15-13, 3-1 MVC
6
Final
1
Bradley BRAD
14-12, 2-2 MVC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Drake DU 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 6 8 0
Bradley BRAD 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 1

W: Newman,Nicole (8-6) L: Mahaffy, Megan (4-3)

7
Winner Drake DU 16-13, 4-1 MVC
6
Bradley BRAD 14-13, 2-3 MVC
Winner
Drake DU
16-13, 4-1 MVC
7
Final
6
Bradley BRAD
14-13, 2-3 MVC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Drake DU 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 7 13 2
Bradley BRAD 0 0 1 0 0 4 1 6 7 0

W: Newman,Nicole (9-6) L: French, Grace (4-3)

Duane Zehr, Bradley University ITPS

Bradley Softball Drops Pair To Drake

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Game Recap: Softball |
PEORIA, Ill. – Bradley Softball was tied with defending MVC champ and preseason league favorite Drake heading to the seventh in both games of Saturday's doubleheader at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex, only to have the Bulldogs pull out 5-1 and 7-6 victories to open the three-game weekend series. 
 
Pitching dominated the opener with Bradley senior Megan Mahaffy limiting Drake (16-13 overall, 4-1 MVC) to one hit in the first three innings and didn't allow a ball out of the infield until the sixth.  The Bulldogs were able to scrape across a run in the top of the fourth, however.  Macy Johnson led off the inning with a bunt single and stole second.  She moved to third on a groundout and later scored on a two-out bloop single off the bat of 2018 All-American Nicole Newman as the Bulldogs grabbed a 1-0 lead.
 
Newman, who struck out 14 in the first game, took a perfect game into the fifth before senior Katie Habryle got Bradley's first hit of the day.  Habryle ripped a two-out, 3-2 pitch over the fence in center to tie the game at 1-1 as she collected her fourth home run of the year. 
 
Drake had just four hits off Mahaffy through the first six innings and the teams went to the seventh knotted at 1-1.  A walk and error to open the top of the seventh for the Bulldogs proved costly for Bradley (14-13 overall, 2-3 MVC).  After Drake loaded the bases with a bunt single, the Braves got the first out of the inning at the plate on a fielder's choice.  The Bulldogs later plated the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice  and went on to push four more unearned runs across in the inning to build a 6-1 advantage. 
 
Newman limited Bradley to two hits in the series opener and sat Bradley down in order in the bottom of the seventh to close out the win for Drake as she improved to 8-6 with the victory.
 
In the nightcap, the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third.  Abby Buie had a double to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a Mandi Roemmich double.
 
The Braves answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning to pull even at 1-1.  Freshman Lucy Mead hit her fifth home run of the year with a solo shot off the scoreboard in right center to tie it up. 
 
Drake would go back in front with a run in the top of the fourth.  Taryn Pena followed back-to-back walks to open the inning with a RBI double to left as Drake retook the lead 2-1.  The Bulldogs appeared to add a run later in the inning on a sacrifice fly to center, but the runner at third left before the catch as Bradley kept Drake from adding to the lead. 
 
The Braves threatened in the bottom half of the fourth after sophomore Taise Thompson had a leadoff double for her second hit of the contest.  Fellow sophomore Jillian Navarro drew a two-out walk to put two runners on, but Drake pitcher Nicole Timmons got out of the jam unscathed. 
 
The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the top of the fifth.  Libby Ryan singled to open the inning and stole second before moving to third on a groundout.  A RBI single up the middle by Johnson pushed the Drake advantage to 3-1. 
 
Two more Drake runs in the sixth gave the Bulldogs a 5-1 lead.  With runners at second and third with one out, Buie drove in a run with a groundout and a Ryan RBI single through the left side of the infield drove in the second run of the frame.
 
Bradley would score four in the bottom of the sixth to tie it up at 5-5, however.  Sophomore Stacia Seeton drew a walk to start the inning and a two-out single by Habryle kept the inning alive.  Navarro ripped a double into the left field corner to drive in both Habryle and Seeton and cut the deficit to 5-3.
 
Newman came on in relief of Timmons after the Navarro double to issue a walk to Bradley freshman Grace French.  Facing a full count with two outs and runners at second and third against the All-American pitcher, Wysocki smacked a two-run double to right center and tie up the score at 5-5 heading to the seventh. 
 
Just like the first game of the day, Drake would score in the top of the seventh.  Johnson led off the inning with a double and the Bulldogs got singles from Kennedy Frank and Pena to load the bases.  Bradley got a strikeout for the first out of the inning and an out at the plate on a fielder's choice to keep things knotted at 5-5.  A two-out single up the middle by Gabbie Jonas drove in a pair of runs, however, as the Bulldogs went in front 7-5. 
 
Back-to-back Drake errors to open the bottom of the seventh gave Bradley a chance and the Braves would load the bases on an Allison Apke single.  A bases loaded groundout by Habryle drove in Brooklyn Bane from third to pull the Braves within one at 7-6.  Newman settled down to strikeout the next batter she faced and close out the 7-6 Bulldog victory. 
 
Bradley and Drake close out the three-game series Sunday with a single game at 11 a.m. at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Complex. 
 
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Players Mentioned

Allison Apke

#16 Allison Apke

IF
5' 6"
Junior
R/R
Brooklyn Bane

#20 Brooklyn Bane

OF
5' 8"
Junior
L/R
Katie Habryle

#25 Katie Habryle

C/IF
5' 9"
Senior
R/R
Megan Mahaffy

#3 Megan Mahaffy

RHP
5' 6"
Senior
R/R
Jillian Navarro

#24 Jillian Navarro

OF
5' 7"
Sophomore
R/R
Stacia Seeton

#13 Stacia Seeton

OF
5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
Taise Thompson

#1 Taise Thompson

P/U
5' 3"
Sophomore
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

Players Mentioned

Allison Apke

#16 Allison Apke

5' 6"
Junior
R/R
IF
Brooklyn Bane

#20 Brooklyn Bane

5' 8"
Junior
L/R
OF
Katie Habryle

#25 Katie Habryle

5' 9"
Senior
R/R
C/IF
Megan Mahaffy

#3 Megan Mahaffy

5' 6"
Senior
R/R
RHP
Jillian Navarro

#24 Jillian Navarro

5' 7"
Sophomore
R/R
OF
Stacia Seeton

#13 Stacia Seeton

5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
OF
Taise Thompson

#1 Taise Thompson

5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
P/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