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6
Indiana State INS 16-30, 4-17 MVC
8
Winner Bradley BRAD 25-18, 12-8 MVC
Indiana State INS
16-30, 4-17 MVC
6
Final
8
Bradley BRAD
25-18, 12-8 MVC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Indiana State INS 0 2 1 0 3 0 0 6 8 0
Bradley BRAD 0 1 3 1 2 1 X 8 11 1

W: Mahaffy, Megan (8-4) L: Arielle Blankenship (6-9)

Braves Top Indiana State 8-6 In Series Opener

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Game Recap: Softball |
Braves Top Indiana State 8-6 In Series Opener
 
PEORIA, Ill. – Sophomore Taise Thompson hit a pair of homers and freshman Keeler van Breusegen went 3-for-3 with two runs as the pair helped power Bradley Softball to an 8-6 victory over Indiana State in the series opener Saturday afternoon at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex. 
 
The teams were able to play just one game Saturday rather than the scheduled doubleheader due to rain in the Peoria area and will now close the series with an 11 a.m. doubleheader Sunday. 
 
Thompson slugged her fifth and sixth homers of the season in a 2-for-2 outing as she scored twice and drove in three runs.  Senior Megan Mahaffy tossed another complete game as she struck out a career-high six in the win to improve to 8-4 on the season.
 
Bradley (25-18 overall, 12-8 MVC) took over sole possession of fourth place in the MVC standings and the Braves have their most regular-season victories since 2007 (25). 
 
Indiana State (16-30 overall, 4-17 MVC) was able to get on the board first, striking for a pair of runs in the top of the second.  Brooke Mann tripled down the right field line and scored on a single by Mallory Marsicek, who would later score on Bradley's lone error on the day as the Sycamores grabbed a 2-0 lead.
 
Thompson led off the bottom half of the second with a solo homer to straight away center field to cut the Indiana State advantage in half at 2-1.  The Braves threatened for more later in the frame, but left a pair of runner on.
 
A hit batter to open the top of the third led to another Indiana State run as Bailey Martin raced all the way around from first to score on a two-out Bella Peterson double to right to push the Sycamore lead to 3-1. 
 
A three-run bottom of the third gave Bradley its first lead at 4-3, however.  Van Breusegen doubled to center to start the inning and junior Allison Apke followed with a single to left, which pushed her hit streak to seven games.  Sophomore Stacia Seeton drove in van Breusegen with a sacrifice fly to center for the first run of the frame and Thompson cleared the fence in center with a two-run shot as Bradley went in front 4-3.  The multi-homer game was the 12th in school history and third for the Braves this season. 
 
Mahaffy retired Indiana State in order in the top of the fourth and Bradley struck for another run in the bottom half.  Junior Sydney Young beat out an infield single with two outs to keep the inning alive and came around to score on one of van Breusegen's two doubles on the day as Bradley built a 5-3 lead. 
 
Indiana State answered with three runs in the top of the fifth to retake the lead at 6-5.  Shaye Barton followed a walk and single to open the inning with a two-run triple to left to tie the score at 5-5.  Mahaffy struck out the next batter for the first out of the inning, but Peterson ripped a single through the left side to drive in Barton from third with the go-ahead run.
 
After a scoreless first inning, Bradley scored in each of the next five innings and pushed two runs across on just one hit in the fifth to go back ahead 7-6.  A pair of walks and a hit batter loaded the bases for pinch hitter Jillian Navarro, who ripped a two-run single through the left side for her team-best fourth pinch hit of the year. 
 
Mahaffy worked around a two-out double in the sixth and a two-out walk in the seventh to close out the win.
 
The Braves added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when freshman Samantha Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in van Breusegen, who walked to lead off the inning, from third. 
 
Bradley and Indiana State will play an 11 a.m. doubleheader Sunday with BU seniors Katie Habryle, Julie Kestas, Megan Mahaffy and Gabby Stoner recognized in a pre-game ceremony. 
 
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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
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
Gabby Stoner

#11 Gabby Stoner

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

#1 Taise Thompson

P/U
5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
Sydney Young

#10 Sydney Young

OF
5' 2"
Junior
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
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
Gabby Stoner

#11 Gabby Stoner

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

#1 Taise Thompson

5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
P/U
Sydney Young

#10 Sydney Young

5' 2"
Junior
L/R
OF
Samantha Smith

#12 Samantha Smith

5' 6"
Freshman
R/R
OF/C