Bradley Softball Beats Maryland at Mardi Gras Classic

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Published on February 27 2017 1:22 pm
Last Updated on February 27 2017 1:22 pm
Written by Millie Lange

Senior Kelly Kapp extended her hit streak to nine games and had multiple hits for the sixth time in seven outings with a 4-for-4 effort to help highlight Bradley’s 4-2 victory over Maryland Saturday afternoon at the Mardi Gras Classic.
 
Kapp, who is hitting a blistering .643 (18-for-28) with 10 runs and 10 stolen bases over the last seven games, matched a career-high with her four hits and scored twice to help Bradley (7-6 overall) to its third consecutive victory.  She led off the game with an infield single and stolen base before opening the scoring later in the inning on a Caitlyn McCarron groundout to give the Braves an early 1-0 lead.
 
Bradley threatened again in the top of the second, loading the bases with a walk, error and single.  Maryland (2-10 overall) got a strikeout to end frame, however.
 
After Maryland left two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the second, the Braves struck for another run.  McCarron had a leadoff double and pushed the Bradley lead to 2-0 when she scored from second on a Megan Mahaffy single up the middle.
 
The Terrapins left another two runners on in the third, before finally getting on the scoreboard in the fourth.  Maryland had a runner at second with two outs after a Juli Strange single and stolen base.  Jordan Aughinbaugh broke up Bradley’s shutout bid with a RBI single to left to cut the lead in half at 2-1.
 
The Braves were able to answer with two runs in the top of the fifth to push the advantage to 4-1.  Kapp had a bunt single to open the inning and advanced all the way to third on an error on the play.  Junior Maria Schroeder drove her in with a single to center and junior Elizabeth Leonard added a two-out RBI single later in the frame.
 
Bradley left the bases loaded again in the sixth and Maryland scratched out a run in bottom half.  Three straight singles to open the inning led to a run and the Terrapins were looking for more after loading the bases with no outs.  Senior Jaelen Hull, who took over in the circle in the fourth, got the first out of the inning at the plate on a fielder’s choice.  An infield fly and a popout got the Braves out of the jam as Bradley took a 4-2 lead to the seventh.
 
Hull sat Maryland down in order to close out the win as she earned her third victory of the season.  She gave up one unearned run and scattered five hits in 3.1 innings out of the bullpen to improve to 3-1.
 
Kapp is now seventh in school history with 178 career hits and scored her 99th career run to move into a tie with former teammate Alyson Clemente for fourth all-time on The Hilltop.  In addition, she took over sole possession of fourth in Missouri Valley Conference history with her 73rd career stolen base.
 
Schroeder and Mahaffy both added to Bradley’s offensive attack which tallied 11 hits, with the pair both going 2-for-4 with one RBI. Teutopolis graduate Allison Apke had one at-bat and struck out.