Softball Set For Governors Classic

Softball 3/4/2020 11:30:00 AM

PEORIA, Ill. – Coming off a 4-1 record at last weekend's Gaucho Classic, Bradley Softball will spend the final weekend before the start of Missouri Valley Conference play in Clarksville, Tenn., with the Braves taking part in the Governors Classic Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Tennessee has been a frequent stop for the Braves, with Bradley traveling to the Volunteer State for the fifth consecutive year. In fact, the Braves made two trips to Tennessee last year and have played in the Volunteer State in five of the last seven seasons. Overall, Bradley is 24-33 all-time in the state of Tennessee after sweeping a doubleheader at Tennessee Tech last March.

Bradley (11-7 overall) starts the Governors Classic Friday with a 10:30 a.m. game against Purdue Fort Wayne (1-15 overall) and the Braves also face tournament-host Austin Peay (6-10 overall) on the opening day in a 3:30 p.m. contest. Saturday's action features rematches with both teams as Bradley plays Austin Peay at 3:30 p.m., immediately followed by another outing against Purdue Fort Wayne at 6 p.m. The Braves close out the weekend Sunday with a 10:30 a.m. game against first-time opponent UMass Lowell (4-6 overall).

For a full tournament schedule or links to live stats visit - https://bubrav.es/GovernorsClassic

Bradley is 2-1 all-time against Purdue Fort Wayne, topping the Mastodons 7-3 in the last meeting during the 2018 season in Memphis, Tenn. The Braves split a pair of games against Purdue Fort Wayne during the 2013 campaign in Albuquerque, N.M.

Austin Peay holds a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series with Bradley after posting a 2-0 win over the Braves in the last trip to Clarksville, Tenn., in 2018. Each of the last three games in the series have been played at Austin Peay, with the squads splitting a doubleheader in 2002. Austin Peay won a matchup in 1989 played in Evansville, Ind., and Bradley won the first game in the series in Macomb, Ill., during the 1988 season.

Senior Allison Apke got off to a slow start to her final season on The Hilltop, but capped last weekend's play at the Gaucho Classic in Santa Barbara, Calif., with three consecutive multi-hit games. Apke had not had a multi-hit game through Bradley's first 15 contests, before going 6-for-10 with two doubles, two homers, seven RBI and four runs scored in Bradley's last three games. Prior to her outburst, Apke was 8-for-38 (.211) with a triple, one homer, six RBI and three runs through her first 15 outings. She went 2-for-3 with a pair of homers in the Feb. 29 game at UC Santa Barbara for the first multi-homer game of her career. Bradley's career home run leader with 30, Apke is currently tied for 18th in MVC history with her 30 career dingers. In addition, Apke drove in her 100th career RBI this past weekend and is now tied for sixth in Bradley history with 106 career RBI.

Bradley traditionally plays a tough non-conference schedule and the 2020 season has been no different with the Braves already facing three nationally ranked teams. Nine of 17 games have been against teams with winning records through March 2. Of Bradley's seven losses, two have come against nationally ranked squads and four are against teams that are 11-6 or better through games of March 2 with the group combining for an 88-53 (.624) record.

Bradley's offense got off to a bit of a slow start to the year, with the Braves hitting .190 as a team and averaging 2.35 runs per game in the first four games of the season. Since that point, Bradley owns a .332 team average (123-of-371) and has averaged 6.54 runs per contest with the Braves scoring 10 or more runs in four contests. Bradley ranks second in the MVC in both batting average (.305) and slugging percentage (.453). After averaging a MVC record 5.86 runs per game last year, Bradley is scoring 5.22 runs per outing this spring which is second in the Valley behind only Loyola (5.44 rpg). BU's pitching has also improved of late with the Braves boasting a 2.74 ERA over the last 11 games, while holding teams to a .244 batting average.

Bradley went 4-1 at the Gaucho Classic in Santa Barbara, Calif., last weekend and has won eight of its last 11 games. The Braves bring an 11-7 overall record into this weekend's action at the Governors Classic for the team's best record through 18 games since starting the 2007 campaign with a 12-6 mark. While the 2019, 2017 and 2013 teams all started the year 13-10 through 23 contests, since the 1995 team opened up a 35-20-1 campaign with a 16-6-1 record Bradley has had just one start better than 13-10. The 2007 squad was 14-9 through 23 games.

After spending the weekend in Clarksville, Tenn., Bradley kicks off a season-long, seven-game home stand by opening Missouri Valley Conference play with a three-game home series against Loyola, March 14 & 15 at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.

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Players Mentioned

#16 Allison Apke: IF; 5' 6"; Senior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#16 Allison Apke
: 5' 6"; Senior; R/R
: IF

Softball Set For Governors Classic

Players Mentioned

#16 Allison Apke

Players Mentioned

#16 Allison Apke