Bradley University Athletics

Softball Alters Schedule For Weekend Series At Loyola

Softball 3/28/2019 11:27:00 AM

PEORIA, Ill. -- Cold and rainy conditions forecast for Chicago have forced Bradley Softball to alter the schedule for this weekend's series at Loyola with the Braves and Ramblers now playing Sunday and Monday at Loyola Softball Park.

The teams were originally scheduled to play a Saturday doubleheader and a single game Sunday to conclude the series, but will now play a single game Sunday at 1 p.m. to open the set and finish out things Monday with an 11 a.m. doubleheader.

All three games of the series will be available on ESPN3 and BradleyBraves.com will provide links to live stats.

The Braves (14-13 overall, 2-3 MVC) own a 23-12 lead in the all-time series with the Ramblers (16-10 overall, 1-5 MVC) after the teams split a shortened series last year in Peoria. In fact, the series between BU and Loyola has been shortened to two games each of the past two seasons.

Bradley holds an 11-3 edge in the series since Loyola joined the MVC for the 2014 season. The teams have played just two of the last 14 games in the series in Chicago and the Braves are 5-6 all-time in road games in the series. Bradley is 11-5 vs. Loyola under head coach Amy Hayes.

Despite dropping both games of last week's shortened series to defending league champion Drake, Bradley is 7-3 in its last 10 games and owns a 9-4 mark in the month of March. The Braves are currently sixth in the Valley standings with a 2-3 record. Loyola owns a 15-5 non-conference record and the Ramblers are tied with Valparaiso for ninth in the MVC at 1-5 after series at Missouri State (0-3) and at Evansville (1-2) to start league play.

After playing five of the last six games at home, Bradley Softball opens a four-game road swing with a weekend series at Loyola and the Braves will play 12 of the next 15 on the road. With a 4-2 road record on the year, Bradley has played the second fewest true road games in the MVC through games of March 24 behind only Southern Illinois (1).

One of just five Valley teams to boast a winning road record, Bradley's 12 wins away from home (road & neutral combined) are the third-most in the MVC this season with only Drake (18) and Missouri State (14) owning more. Last season, Bradley won a total of three true road games and had 10 road/neutral site victories.

Currently one of six MVC schools in the top 100 of the NCAA's RPI through games of March 24, Bradley was #90 in the latest RPI. BU's non-conference schedule is 62nd in the nation according to the RPI report, which is the third toughest in the league behind Drake (#1) and Illinois State (#12) through March 24. Six of Bradley's 27 games have been against top-50 teams in the RPI and 17 of Bradley's 27 games (63 percent) have come against top-100 squads (8-9 overall). In fact, 20 of 27 contests have been against teams in top half of the latest RPI. Of Bradley's 22 games remaining on the 2019 schedule, 12 are against teams currently in the top 100 and 16 are against teams in the top half of the RPI.

After the weekend series in Chicago, Bradley plays its final non-conference game of the year when the Braves travel to Edwardsville, Ill., for a game against SIU Edwardsville on Wednesday, April 3.

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