CEDAR FALLS – Bradley Softball continued its strong stretch of Missouri Valley Conference play this past weekend, claiming a road series win over Northern Iowa by taking two of three games. The Braves improved to 6–4 in MVC play and 16–18 overall, marking their third series win in the last four weekends. Behind a deep lineup, quality starting pitching, and continued contributions from both veterans and newcomers, Bradley showed the kind of balance and grit that travels in late-season conference play.
The weekend opened with a 9–6 win in game one of Friday's doubleheader, sparked by a five-run fifth inning and home runs from Ashley Breeding and Abbott Badgley. Sydney Kennedy tossed a complete game, striking out nine and allowing just two earned runs to pick up her team-leading 9th win of the season. Game two saw Bradley jump ahead early before UNI rallied to take it 9–5. Despite the loss, the Braves stayed aggressive at the plate, collecting nine hits and continuing to pressure the Panthers throughout including loading the bases in the 7th.
On Saturday, Bradley responded in dominant fashion, winning the rubber match 7–3 behind a season-best 14 hits and a lockdown defensive performance. Breeding capped off her standout weekend by finishing 5-for-9 with a home run, triple, and five RBIs. Turner, meanwhile, continued her strong freshman campaign by going 6-for-10 in the series, raising her season average to .286 while also recording 20 putouts at first base without an error. Kennedy and the pitching staff limited UNI to four hits and just one extra-base hit in the finale, keeping the Panthers off the scoreboard for the first four innings.
As a team, the Braves are trending upward. In Valley play, they boast a .276 batting average and .377 slugging percentage, compared to their overall marks of .242 and .347. They've scored 50 runs in 10 conference games and committed only five errors during that stretch. Kennedy now ranks among the league's best with a 2.36 ERA (5th) and .229 opponent batting average (7th) across 124.2 innings (1st). Breeding (.438 SLG, 18 RBIs, 4 HR) continues to provide power in the middle of the order, while Turner (.286 AVG, 12 RBIs) and Kierston McCoy (.320 AVG, 5 HR, 21 RBIs) give the lineup depth and balance.
With six wins in their last nine games, the Braves are surging at just the right time. Their ability to produce runs, pitch to contact, and play clean defense makes them a team to watch as April competition ramps up in the Valley. The top 6 teams in the MVC are separated by just 3 games making every conference game that much more important.
