Bradley Earns Split, Apke Homers Again

Print

Published on March 23 2018 3:56 pm
Last Updated on March 23 2018 3:56 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Bradley Softball used a four-run first inning in the second game of the doubleheader against Loyola to top the Ramblers 5-4 and salvage a split after the Braves dropped the opener 7-5 Friday at the Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.

Freshman Stacia Seeton had a two-run double and junior Katie Habryle ripped a two-run homer in the first inning of the nightcap to help power Bradley (13-15 overall, 2-2 MVC) to the 5-4 victory. Senior Maria Schroeder went 4-for-7 in the two games to move into seventh in career hits at Bradley and raise her season batting average to .400.

The final game of the three-game series, which was scheduled to be played Saturday afternoon, has been cancelled due to cold and rainy conditions forecast for the Peoria area.

In the opener, Loyola (14-12 overall, 2-3 MVC) took advantage of a Bradley error in the second inning to score four unearned runs. The Braves were out to an early lead, however, striking for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Junior Gabby Stoner led off the game with a single and came around to score on a Schroeder single. Seeton followed an Allison Apke walk, her MVC-leading 18th of the year, with a RBI single up the middle to give Bradley a 2-0 lead. The Braves threatened to add more in the frame, but would leave the bases loaded.

Loyola answered with six runs in the top of the second. Three straight two-out walks loaded the bases and Shannon McGee tied things up at 2-2 with a two-run single to center. A Bradley error which would have ended the inning allowed two more runs to cross and the Ramblers held a 6-2 lead after Allyson Ivey drove in a pair with a two-run double to right center.

McGee drove in another Loyola run in the fifth with a two-out single up the middle to give the Ramblers a 7-2 advantage.

Bradley would try to rally in the bottom of the seventh. Freshman Vicki Zaluske drew a leadoff walk and Schroeder collected her third hit of the game with a single to left. Apke provided the big hit of the contest with a three-run homer to center on the first pitch she saw to make it a two-run contest at 7-5. The home run was Apke’s eighth of the season and moved her into a tie for fourth on the Bradley season home run list.

Loyola pitcher Kiley Jones would settle down to get a pair of groundouts, however, to close out the 7-5 Rambler victory as she improved to 11-2 on the year.In the nightcap, sophomore Emma Jackson was staked to a 4-0 lead and took a one-hit shutout into the fifth inning before the Ramblers were able to get on the board.

Stoner got things started for the Braves in the first with an infield single and Schroeder doubled to center to put runners at second and third. Seeton drove in both runners with a double down the left field line and would later score on an opposite field homer to right off the bat of Habryle as the pair helped Bradley jump in front 4-0.

The Braves added an important insurance run in the third. Seeton drew a one-out walk and later scored on a Taise Thompson double to left center to give Bradley a 5-0 lead.

Jackson retired the first 10 batters she faced, before surrendering a one-out walk in the fourth. A two-out Ivey single to left center later in the frame broke up the no-hit bid, but Jackson was able to get out of the jam as the Ramblers stranded a pair.

Loyola finally got to Jackson in the top of the fifth. The Ramblers had two on after a walk and single before McGee struck again with a RBI single down the left field line as Loyola cut the Bradley lead to 5-1. The Ramblers added another run in the sixth, plating a run on a Jamie O’Brien double as Jackson left the game with a 5-2 lead.

McGee would help start a two-out seventh inning rally for Loyola, ripping a double down the field line. She scored from second thanks in part to a Bradley error on a Jordyn Cordell single. A RBI double to right by Katie Kasubke allowed Cordell to race home and made it a one-run game at 5-4. Junior Megan Mahaffy, who took over in the circle for Jackson with two outs in the sixth, got a groundout to finish off the 5-4 Bradley win. Mahaffy earned her second save of the year, while Jackson picked up the victory for the Braves to improve to 6-2 on the season.

With the series finale cancelled the Braves will play the next six games on the road, opening the stretch with a three-game series at Drake March 30 & 31.