PEORIA, Ill. – Bradley Baseball returns to non-conference play Tuesday with a midweek matchup against Western Illinois as the Braves look to build momentum following the opening weekend of Missouri Valley Conference action. Bradley enters at 5-18 overall, while the Leathernecks also come in at 5-18 on the season.
Bradley Braves Overview
Bradley enters the midweek hitting .240 as a team with 177 hits and 126 runs scored through 23 games this season . The Braves continue to lean into an aggressive offensive approach, swiping 55 bases in 64 attempts to consistently pressure opposing defenses.
Luke Skinner leads the lineup with a .347 average and .475 on-base percentage, while Sohrab Rezaei is hitting .308 with 20 hits and nine stolen bases. Landon Lowe has driven in a team-high 14 runs while hitting .306, and Michael Quick has added 22 hits and 11 runs scored at the top of the order.
Hayden Miller provides power in the middle of the lineup with six home runs and a .463 slugging percentage, while AJ Garcia has contributed 14 RBIs and nine stolen bases.
On the mound, Bradley has totaled 152 strikeouts in 182 innings, led by Davis Webb's 23 strikeouts. Joey Cirelli and Calen Scheider have taken on starting roles, while the Braves continue to look for consistency as a staff with a 10.14 ERA .
Defensively, Bradley holds a .956 fielding percentage and has turned 15 double plays.
Western Illinois Leathernecks Overview
Western Illinois enters the matchup hitting .264 as a team with 207 hits and 137 runs scored through 23 games this season . The Leathernecks have shown the ability to produce throughout the lineup with a mix of contact and power.
Wandel Campana leads the team with a .373 average and a .476 on-base percentage, while Liam Bushey has been a major power threat, hitting .322 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs. Joe Connolly adds table-setting ability with a .297 average and nine stolen bases, and Gage Hoover is hitting .306 with 11 RBIs.
Isaiah Monge has contributed 14 RBIs, while Krayton Morse adds 20 RBIs in the middle of the order.
On the mound, Western Illinois carries an 8.20 team ERA across 197.2 innings with 186 strikeouts . Jackson Rodgers has been one of the more effective arms with a 4.32 ERA and 20 strikeouts, while Max Tripure has handled a bulk of the starting workload.
Defensively, the Leathernecks hold a .967 fielding percentage.
Matchup Outlook
The midweek contest presents an opportunity for both teams to find consistency. Bradley's ability to create offense with speed and apply pressure on the bases will be a key factor against a Western Illinois pitching staff that has struggled to limit runs.
For the Braves, limiting big innings will be critical against a Leatherneck lineup that features multiple hitters capable of producing extra-base hits, particularly in the middle of the order.
With both teams sitting at identical records, the midweek matchup sets up as a tone-setter where execution, clean defense, and timely hitting will likely decide the outcome.
