PEORIA, Ill. – Bradley Softball used late rallies for a pair of one-run victories, opening a three-game series against Southern Illinois with a 5-4, eight-inning victory and posting a 3-2 comeback win in the nightcap to sweep a doubleheader from the Salukis Friday at the Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.
Freshman Addie Welsh had big hits in both contests, driving in the game-winning run in the opener with a RBI single in the eighth to give Bradley (19-18 overall, 7-7 MVC) the 5-4 extra-inning win. In the second game, she smacked a two-out, two-run homer in the sixth to put the Braves in front as BU went on to take the contest 3-2 and secure the first series victory against the Salukis (20-15 overall, 9-7 MVC) since 2012.
The game one victory marked the 500th career victory for Bradley Head Coach Amy Hayes.
In the opener, SIU got a run in the second and batted around during a three-run sixth as the Salukis took a 4-0 lead into the seventh.
Bradley rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings for the second time this season. Freshman Abbott Badgley led off the frame with a single and a Welsh walk and two-out, pinch hit single by Abigail Tyler loaded the bases for senior Camryn Monteer, who drove in all three runners with a triple to left center. Monteer came home on a Lucy Mead single up the middle to knot the score at 4-4.
Senior Grace French, who earned the victory in game one to improve to 6-8 on the season, worked around a leadoff single in the top of the eighth as Southern Illinois stranded the go-ahead run at third.
In the bottom of the eighth, senior Samantha Smith opened the inning with a four-pitch walk and the Braves had runners at the corners when Keeler van Breusegen reached on an error. Welsh gave Bradley the 5-4 walk-off victory with a RBI single to center.
SIU starter Madi Eberle kept Bradley in check for most of the nightcap, taking a four-hitter into the sixth. The Salukis opened the scoring in the day's second game with two runs in the top of the first on just two hits, taking advantage of three walks in the frame.
Monteer, who was 4-for-7 in the doubleheader, led off the bottom half of the first with her second triple of the day and came home on a Mead sacrifice fly to cut the SIU advantage in half at 2-1.
Sophomore Camryn Schaller came out of the bullpen for the Braves in the third with two on and one out to get out of the inning with a foul out and strikeout. Schaller did not give up a run, scattering two hits in her four and two-third innings in relief.
Bradley finally got to Eberle in the bottom of the sixth. Smith led off the inning with a single and Welsh smashed a two-run homer to center field to put Bradley in front 3-2.
Schaller worked around a one-out walk in the seventh as she earned the win to even her record on the year at 3-3.
Bradley and Southern Illinois close out the series Saturday with a single game at noon at Petersen Hotel Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.
