Bradley softball clashed with Northern Iowa and Illinois State this past week, however, the Braves were swept in both series, pushing its losing streak to 11 games.
In the first game of a Wednesday doubleheader against the Redbirds, the Braves managed just two hits and fell short 3-0.
The game was tied until the Redbirds hit an RBI single to score the game’s first run in the top of the third inning. After that, ISU tallied single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, despite leaving multiple runners on base.
The Braves offensive struggles continued, with both hits coming from freshman Kierston McCoy. Regardless, graduate student Grace French pitched all seven innings, earning five strikeouts and allowing three runs.
Returning just minutes after the first game ended, Bradley got on the board first in the I-74 rematch. Sophomore Allie Paregien hit an RBI double in the bottom of the second inning that sent home freshman Austin Comstock. Bradley then loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth inning, and ISU walked junior catcher Jordy van der Werf, scoring French and upping the score to 2-0.
The Redbirds soared back in the fifth by scoring five runs from a barrage of base hits. The Braves could not respond as Illinois State scored another run in the top of the sixth inning, making the score 6-2.
The Braves plated a run in the bottom of the seventh inning as freshman Lauren DeRolf hit an RBI double but it wasn’t enough to fight off the Redbirds and the Braves were defeated 6-3.
Before the series in Peoria, Bradley softball had traveled to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to take on the Northern Iowa Panthers for a three-game set. UNI currently sits atop the Missouri Valley Conference standings, and based on the series with the Braves, it’s no secret why. Bradley was soundly defeated 9-0 in just five innings in the series opener against the Panthers’ ace Samantha Heyer.
Returning for game two, the Braves lost the second matchup but were much closer as they fell 5-4. The game was deadlocked until the top of the fifth inning when the Braves’ bats came alive.
Van der Werf jump-started the Braves’ offense with a solo home run and sophomore Angela Cirone followed with an RBI triple deep to center field, sending fellow sophomore Addie Welsh in to score. DeRolf drove in Cirone after hitting an RBI double, giving the Braves a 3-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Braves added to their lead whenMcCoy hit an RBI single to center field, scoring Cirone. Bradley held the 4-0 edge heading to the bottom of the seventh, hoping to gift the Panthers their first conference loss.
Northern Iowa put together a fierce comeback, clawing forward to grab four runs and tie the game to force extra innings and the Panthers’ Taylor Hogan hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to the second game of the series 5-4. Bradley junior Camryn Schaller pitched six innings, earning six strikeouts and allowing four runs.
In the series’ third game, the Braves were trampled by Northern Iowa 18-0. The Panthers got on the board quickly in the bottom of the first inning and didn’t let up. McCoy and van der Werf earned the only two hits for the Braves.
After dropping the doubleheader Wednesday to the Redbirds, Bradley now sits ninth in the MVC at 10-28 overall and 2-9 in conference play.
The Braves now look to end their woes against the Drake Bulldogs in a three-game series starting today and running through Sunday. The Bulldogs provide the Braves the opportunity to make some noise as their Des Moines, Iowa, rival sits just 8-22 this season.
