Seven-Game Home Stand Starts with Valley Series

For the first time as Missouri Valley Conference rivals, Bradley will host Valparaiso in a 3-game weekend series at Dozer Park

James Franks

Bradley Series Notes Packet

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications Baseball 5/2/2019 11:00:00 AM

PEORIA, IL - Bradley Baseball will look to continue its hot April into the May portion of its schedule when the Braves (27-13, 7-5 MVC) host Valparaiso (9-29, 2-10 MVC) for the first time as Missouri Valley Conference rivals in a 3-game weekend series at Dozer Park. All three games in the weekend series are scheduled for noon starts at Dozer Park due to night games hosted by the Peoria Chiefs.

Valparaiso (9-29, 2-10 MVC) at Bradley (27-13, 7-5 MVC) \| Peoria, IL \| Dozer Park
Date	Time (CT)	Bradley Probable Starting Pitcher	Follow Live
Friday, May 3	12:00 p.m.	Mitch Janssen, Sr., RHP, 3-1, 1.47 ERA	ESPN+ \| Live Stats
Saturday, May 4	12:00 p.m.	Brooks Gosswein, So., LHP, 4-3, 3.57 ERA	ESPN+ \| Live Stats
Sunday, May 5	12:00 p.m.	Sam Lund, Sr., RHP, 3-3, 3.76 ERA	ESPN+ \| Live Stats

WINNINGEST MONTH IN 50 YEARS
•   If April is known for showers, it rained wins for Bradley Baseball last month.
•   The Braves posted a 15-3 (.833) record during the month of April, highlighed by a 12-game winning streak.
•   The 15 wins in April were the most by the Braves in any calendar month since going 15-11 in April 2000.
•   The .833 wining percentage in April was Bradley's best in a calendar month of at least 10 games since the Braves went 8-1-1 (.850) in April 1969.
•   Bradley led The Valley with its 15 wins and .833 winning percentage last month, just ahead of Illinois State's 14-4 (.778) April showing.

IN SEARCH OF 30
•   Bradley enters its 7-game home stand three wins shy of its second straight 30-win season.
•   The Braves have not won at least 30 games in consecutive seasons since a 5-year run from 1992-96: 1992 (34-23-1), 1993 (40-16), 1994 (35-26), 1995 (30-27), 1996 (40-22).

VALLEY RACE
•   With a new format to the Missouri Valley Conference postseason tournament comes new pressure to finish in the top half of the regular-season league standings.
•   The top four tournament seeds will receive a bye into the six-team, double-elimination bracket that will begin the tournament's second day Wednesday, May 22.
•   The bottom four tournament seeds will play a single-elimination game Tuesday, May 21 to earn the last two spots in the double-elimination bracket.
•   Despite its 7-5 league record, Bradley enters the Valparaiso series fifth in the MVC standings, but just one game behind third-place DBU and Evansville and two games back of co-leaders Illinois State and Indiana State.
•   The Braves will close the regular season by hosting Illinois State next weekend and visiting Indiana State in the final series.

FIRST-TIME VISITOR AS VALLEY RIVAL
•   Bradley will kick off its season-ending, 7-game home stand this weekend by hosting Missouri Valley Conference rival Valparaiso for a 3-game set Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Dozer Park.
•   Due to a simultaneous Peoria Chiefs weekend series, all three games in the Bradley-Valpo set will start at noon with the Chiefs to follow with evening games.
•   Now completing its second year in The Valley, Valparaiso is making its first visit to Peoria as a MVC member.

SERIES HISTORY - VALPARAISO
Games 29-31: Bradley leads 16-12, 8-4 at home
•   Although Valparaiso is a relative newcomer to The Valley, the Braves and Crusaders began their baseball series April 23, 1991, when Valpo claimed an 8-5 home victory in six innings.
•   The Braves have won five of the last seven meetings, including 3-of-4 last season, to claim a 16-12 series advantage.
•   Valparaiso wil be making its fourth visit to Dozer Park all time, but its first since Bradley swept a non-conference doubleheader April 29, 2008.
•   Included in Bradley's 8-4 all-time home record against the Crusaders is a 3-1 record at Dozer Park.

LOOKING AHEAD
•   Following this weekend's series versus Valparaiso, Bradley will play its final non-conference game Tuesday by hosting Saint Louis in a 6 p.m. game at Dozer Park.
•   The Braves then will host I-74 rival Illinois State next weekend to conclude the 2019 home schedule.

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Players Mentioned

#24 Brooks Gosswein: LHP; 6' 2"; Sophomore; L/L

#21 Mitch Janssen: RHP; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

#19 Sam Lund: RHP; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#24 Brooks Gosswein
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; L/L
: LHP

#21 Mitch Janssen
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#19 Sam Lund
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; R/R
: RHP

Seven-Game Home Stand Starts with Valley Series

For the first time as Missouri Valley Conference rivals, Bradley will host Valparaiso in a 3-game weekend series at Dozer Park

Players Mentioned

#24 Brooks Gosswein

#21 Mitch Janssen

#19 Sam Lund

Players Mentioned

#24 Brooks Gosswein

#21 Mitch Janssen

#19 Sam Lund