Evansville, Ind. – The Braves will face the Evansville Purple Aces in a weekend series that has turned into a best-of-three matchup for the final spot in the MVC Championship.
Schedule
Game 1: Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 6 p.m. at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium
Game 2: Friday, May 16, 2025, at 6 p.m. at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium
Game 3: Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 2 p.m. at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium
Bradley Braves Overview
The Braves (14-33) are coming off a three-game sweep of the Valparaiso Beacons that put Bradley one game up on the Purple Aces. Jackson Smith played a key part in the Braves' success, hitting 6-for-11 with a home run, a double, three walks, seven RBI, and three runs scored while swiping one bag.
Ashton Horchem earned the honor of Busey Bank Scholar-Athlete of the Week due to his recent performance. He went 5-for-10 with two doubles, four stolen bases, three walks, an RBI, and six runs scored across the weekend series against Valparaiso. He also has had hits in 10 of his last 11 games for the Braves.
On the mound, Jack Stellano had a great outing to improve his record to 3-1 on the season. He threw six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and a walk while striking out five. In his last eight outings, he has held his opponents to three runs or fewer while striking out 19 and issuing just 10 walks over that span.
Evansville Purple Aces Overview
The Purple Aces (16-35) are coming off an 18-8 win over the University of Southern Indiana, but had lost seven of their last eight before that weekday win. Harrison Taubert has been Evansville's best hitter, leading the team with an .869 OPS, 17 doubles, seven homers, and a .480 slugging percentage.
On the mound, Kenton Deverman has been a solid starter for Evansville this season. He currently leads the team among qualified players with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP, while only walking seven batters across 61 ⅓ innings.
Matchup Outlook
The Braves must capitalize on the momentum they've built in recent weeks. After a rough start, they've fought back to reach this point, but still need two more wins to secure a postseason berth.
