Normal, Ill. – The Bradley Braves will face the Belmont Bruins in a first-round elimination matchup at the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Championship on Tuesday, May 20, with first pitch scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Illinois.

Schedule
Game: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Duffy Bass Field | Normal, Ill.

Bradley Braves Overview

The Braves (16–34, 12–15 MVC) clinched a postseason berth with a crucial series win at Evansville to close the regular season. Bradley's offense exploded for 40 total runs on 41 hits, highlighted by a 23–11 win in the finale.

Freshman Jackson Smith powered the offense with seven hits, including a home run, along with four RBIs and six runs scored over the weekend. Mason Breidenbach stayed red-hot, collecting multiple hits in every game and adding a homer of his own.

On the mound, Reece Clapp picked up the win in the regular-season finale. The Braves' pitching staff struck out 24 batters across the three games and limited Evansville to just four runs in the series opener.

Belmont Bruins Overview

The Bruins (17–25, 8–19 MVC) won two of three against Bradley earlier this season at Dozer Park. Belmont claimed the first two games by scores of 3–0 and 10–1, the latter powered by an eight-run ninth inning. Bradley bounced back in the series finale with an emphatic 15–4 victory.

Belmont's strength in the series came from timely hitting and stingy pitching early, allowing just one run and five hits combined in the first two games. But the Braves broke through in Game 3 with 15 runs on 14 hits to seize momentum.

Matchup Outlook

Tuesday's elimination game is a rubber match in the season series, with both teams holding something to prove. Bradley arrives with the hot bats and confidence after back-to-back series wins, while Belmont aims to replicate the shutdown pitching that led to early success in Peoria. With everything on the line, expect an intense showdown to open the MVC Tournament in Normal.