This past week, Bradley softball played five games, losing four in a row before snapping their skid Monday in the second game of a doubleheader against DePaul with a 2-1 win.
“I am very confident that we can pretty much hit whatever is thrown at us,” Bradley head coach Amy Hayes said. “I know it sounds lame to trust the process, but that’s what it’s all about.”
The Braves faced off against Louisville in a doubleheader on March 5 to open the Cardinal Classic, losing game one 9-1 and game two 9-0.
The Cardinals put up six runs in the first inning of game one. In game two, the Cardinals put up nine runs in the first three innings, and the Braves were unable to score as they were limited to just one hit all game.
The Braves then faced off against Miami (Ohio), losing 11-0 in a game where the Braves managed just two hits.
Junior Taise Thompson broke up a no-hit bid in the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to center. Sophomore Keeler van Breusegen followed her up with a single through the left side. The Braves had runners on second and third with one out, but they couldn’t score after the Redhawks turned a double play to end the game.
The Braves then faced off in a doubleheader on Monday against the Blue Demons, losing game one by a score of 4-1 and then coming back to win the second game 2-1.
The Braves bats once again struggled in the opener, striking out 11 times against DePaul’s Krista Dalgarn in seven innings. However, Hayes noted a difference between the previous three outings.
“It didn’t feel like that because we actually had better at-bats,” Hayes said. “We were way more on time, we were way more patient, and [we were] having so many more quality at-bats.”
In the nightcap, the Braves fought back after facing a one-run deficit going into the bottom of the sixth before putting up two runs led by Vicki Zaluske’s double. The Braves scored their second run on a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Zaluske.
“We broke out of that a little bit in our second game against DePaul, we had much better at-bats, great pitching out of our bullpen and a really solid defensive effort,” Hayes said.
Sophomore third baseman Camryn Monteer has been a bright spot for the Braves this season, batting .471 with two RBI and only three strikeouts.
“If I continue to focus on the little things and watch the ball, making sure I stay within myself, I’m just going out there and [trying] to make something happen,” Monteer said of her approach.
Hayes has been happy with what she’s seen from her leadoff hitter.
“She has done a great job setting the table for us,” Hayes said. “She has the ability to run the bases well, she is one of our most aggressive runners and [plays] extremely heads up and confident — she’s a great ballplayer.”
The Braves are scheduled to play four games this weekend at the Buccaneer Classic, and Hayes remains confident.
“It’s really early on to look at these tough losses, but everybody is on the same level coming out of last year,” Hayes said. “We can make excuses for this year, but our focus needs to be to win and take care of all of the little things.”
The weekend action begins tomorrow with a doubleheader against Akron and East Tennessee State, with game one set for 10 a.m.
