April 18, 2025 | Normal, Ill. | Duffy Bass Field
The Bradley Braves packed the long ball for their impromptu road trip, as they hit seven in their three-game series against the Illinois State Redbirds to secure the sweep.
Game 1: Illinois State 5, Bradley 6
The Braves won the back-and-forth battle after both teams' bullpens struggled to shut down the opposition. Bradley took an early lead on a Timmy O'Brien RBI single, and the score stayed at 1-0 until the fifth. The Redbirds tied it up before the Braves scored three in the bottom of the fifth, one on a passed ball and two on an O'Brien bomb. Illinois State fought back and took the lead in the top of the eighth, but Cole Luckey and Beau Durbin smashed back-to-back homers to give the Braves the lead and the win. Brayden Marks earned the win, throwing 2 ⅔ innings, allowing two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out three. Reece Clapp earned his second save of the season after pitching a hitless ninth.
Top Performer: Timmy O'Brien (2-for-3, 1 HR, three RBI)
Bradley Offense: 6 runs, 8 hits, 2 HBP, 4 walks, 2 SB
Pitching Grit: 5 runs allowed, all earned, 7 strikeouts
Game 2: Illinois State 13, Bradley 14
Bradley walked it off in the 12th inning against the Redbirds. The Braves scored four runs in the first on Jackson Smith's first career home run, Mason Breidenbach's RBI double, Timmy O'Brien's RBI single, and Cole Luckey's sacrifice fly. The Redbirds took the lead thanks to a five-run inning in the fifth. O'Brien's two-run blast in the bottom half of the inning gave the Braves the lead right back, and Luckey and Beau Durbin pulled off a double steal to gain insurance. Bradley scored six more runs in the sixth and seventh combined to take a 13-6 lead, but Illinois State responded with a seven-run eighth to send the game to extras. Ashton Horchem came through in the bottom of the 12th with an RBI double to walk it off for Bradley. Reece Clapp earned his second win this season, tossing 4 ⅓ innings, yielding two runs on three hits while striking out one.
Top Performer: Cole Smith (3-for-6, 2 RBI, 2 SB, 1 BB, 1 2B)
Bradley Offense: 14 runs, 23 hits, 9 XBH, 6 BB, 5 SO, 3 SB
Pitching Grit: 13 runs allowed, all earned, 8 strikeouts
Game 3: Illinois State 5, Bradley 7
The Braves completed the sweep in game three after a four-run seventh inning, which gave them a six-run lead. The Redbirds took an early lead on an RBI single, but the Braves responded in the third with a Mason Breidenbach RBI groundout and a Bobby Atkinson solo shot to make the score 2-1. Breidenbach brought home another one in the fifth on an RBI single. Timmy O'Brien crushed a three-run home run for his third of the weekend in the seventh. Nick Hosie added an extra insurance run with his RBI single later in the inning. The Redbirds attempted a rally in the eighth, scoring four runs, but it wasn't enough. Jack Stellano earned his second win of the season, throwing five innings while giving up one run on four hits while walking two, and striking out four.
Top Performer: Bobby Atkinson (3-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB)
Bradley Offense: 7 runs, 14 hits, 5 XBH
Pitching Grit: 5 runs allowed, all earned, 6 strikeouts
Looking Ahead
The Braves will look to build on this huge sweep on Tuesday as they take on SIUE at 6 p.m. at home.
