Apke Drives in All Four Runs in Bradley Win

PEORIA, Ill. – Sophomore Allison Apke, a Teutopolis graduate, drove in all four of Bradley’s runs, hitting a two-run first-inning homer and a two-run sixth inning double to help power the Braves to a 4-2 victory over Evansville Sunday at the Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.

In addition to locking up a series win for Bradley (20-29 overall, 9-15 MVC), the victory sealed the eighth and final spot for the Braves in the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference Tournament which will be played May 10-12 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Senior Elizabeth Leonard went 1-for-2 with two walks and a pair of runs in the final home game of her career, while Maria Schroeder drew a walk and scored an insurance run in the seventh to help Bradley to the win.

Sophomore Emma Jackson struck out six through the first four innings and finished with seven punchouts in the complete game victory to improve her record to 8-7 on the year.  She retired the first six batters she faced, making just seven pitches in the first inning and striking out the side in the second.

Leonard drew a walk to open the bottom of the first and Apke would give Jackson a 2-0 lead to work with, hitting a towering two-run homer to left.  The homer was Apke’s league-leading 12th of the year as she tied the Bradley season home run mark set by a current Bradley Assistant Coach Rachel Huggins as a senior in 2016.

Jackson worked around a leadoff single and a walk in the third to keep Evansville (15-34 overall, 8-18 MVC) off the scoreboard and sat the Aces down in order again in the fourth.

Evansville finally broke through for a run in the top of the sixth.  Lindsay Renneisen had a single to open the inning and a pinch hit walk by Alex Latoria put two runners on base.  McKenzie Johnson cut the BU lead in half at 2-1 with a two-out RBI single through the left side.  Jackson struck out the next batter she faced to get out of the inning.

The Braves added important insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.  The seniors got things started with Leonard and Schroeder drawing two-out walks and the pair both came home on an Apke double off the fence in left center as she extended Bradley’s lead to 4-1.  Apke’s four RBI day pushed her team-best season total to 44, which is now third among Bradley season marks.

The Purple Aces would strike for another run in the top of the seventh and threaten to tie the game in the frame.  Jaime Nurrenbern ripped a pinch hit double which deflected off Jackson to start the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt.  Eryn Gould drove Nurrenbern home with a single to right to cut the Bradley advantage to 4-2 and bring the tying run to the plate with just one out.  Jackson got a flyout for the second out of the inning and second baseman Vicki Zaluske was able to hang on to popout after colliding with right fielder Megan Mahaffy in short right field for the third out of the frame to end the contest.

Bradley will face #5 seed Indiana State Thursday at 11 a.m. in the opening round of the MVC Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.  The winner will face

Bradley Splits Doubleheader Saturday

Bradley Softball kept its hopes of reaching next week’s 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament alive, splitting a doubleheader with Evansville Saturday afternoon at the Petersen Hotels Field at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.  The Braves rebounded from a 4-0 loss in the opener for a 3-1 win in the nightcap.

Junior Megan Mahaffy went 2-for-3 with a run and gave up just one run in a complete victory in the day’s second game, while junior Gabby Stoner was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs in the Bradley (19-29 overall, 8-15 MVC) victory to keep the Braves within a half-game of Loyola for the final spot in the Valley Tournament.

Evansville’s (15-32 overall, 8-17 MVC) Morgan Florey tossed a two-hit shutout and struck out 13 in the opener in a 4-0 win for the Purple Aces.   Bradley’s Emma Jackson had a solid outing of her own, holding Evansville to four hits and fanning eight in the day’s first game.

Despite just four hits in the first game, Evansville belted a pair of homers with Lindsay Renneisen hitting a two-run homer in the first and Eryn Gould ripping a solo shot in the top of the third to give the Aces a 3-0 lead.

Stoner had Bradley’s first hit of the day in the second, but the Braves came up empty in the frame.  BU’s first real scoring chance came in the bottom of the fourth after sophomore Stacia Seeton hit a one-out double with a runner on to put runners at second and third.  A strikeout and groundout ended the Bradley threat, however.

A Bradley error to open the top of the sixth led to another Evansville run, pushing the Aces lead to 4-0.  The Braves tried to mount a seventh-inning rally.  Stoner was hit by a pitch with two outs and sophomore Brooklyn Bane drew a walk to put runners at first and second.  Florey’s 13th strikeout of the contest closed out the 4-0 Evansville win.

In the nightcap, Mahaffy worked out of trouble in each of the first three innings with the Aces leaving four runners on base in the first three frames.  She had an early advantage with the Braves striking for a run in the bottom of the second to snap a 12-inning scoreless stretch.  Stoner ripped a one-out double in the corner in left and came around to score from second on a Kealia Wysocki double to give Bradley a 1-0 lead.

The Braves threatened again in the bottom of the fourth, putting two runners on via an Evansville error and Stoner single only to come up empty.

Bradley added an insurance run in the fifth after loading the bases.  Mahaffy singled to open the inning, Bane followed with a walk and senior Elizabeth Leonard beat out a bunt single to load the bases with no outs.  Senior Maria Schroeder drove in a run with a bases loaded groundout to push the BU lead to 2-0.  The Braves would leave a pair of runners in scoring position, however, as UE starter Jaime Nurrenbern got a strikeout and line out to end the inning.

Florey led off the Evansville sixth with a solo homer, cutting the Bradley lead in half at 2-1 and she took over in the circle for the Aces in the bottom half of the inning.

Stoner reached base for the fifth time on the day when she was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the sixth.  Wysocki reached on an Evansville error and BU loaded the bases on a one-out Mahaffy single.  

The second UE error of the inning on the Mahaffy single allowed the Braves to add an insurance run, pushing the lead to 3-1.

Mahaffy surrendered a pinch hit double to lead off the top of the seventh, but got a pair of groundouts and a lineout as she picked up her team-best eighth victory of the year with the complete game effort.    

Bradley and Evansville close out the three-game series and the regular-season schedule Sunday with an 11 a.m. game at Petersen Hotels Field at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.  Seniors Elizabeth Leonard and Maria Schroeder will be recognized prior to the contest.  The Braves need a victory Sunday against Evansville and an Indiana State victory over Loyola to earn a spot in the Valley Tournament.

EIU Snaps Eastern Kentucky's Win Streak

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois softball snapped Eastern Kentucky's 13-game win streak on their Senior Day Saturday afternoon. The Panthers won game one 1-0, but fell 4-0 in the final game of the regular season. The Panthers say good bye to seniors Taylor Monahan, Kiley Pelker, Tori Johnson, Michelle Rogers, Jessica Wireman, and Andrea Roberts.

EIU improved to 34-18 overall and 13-9 in the OVC while EKU improved to 36-15 overall and 18-2 in the OVC.

The Panthers will play next week in the OVC tournament held in Oxford, Ala. Rankings and a full schedule will be released later this weekend.

Game 1

Wireman recorded her second straight shut out and retired 12 EKU batters in the Panthers 1-0 game one win. Wireman only allowed one hit through seven innings.

The Panthers scored their lone run in the bottom for the fifth inning. Kayla Bear was out at second base on a hit to the second baseman by Haley Mitchell. EKU short stop Hannah Clark committed a throwing error attempting the double play at first allowing Johnson to cross home plate scoring EIU's only run.

Mia Davis and Pelker recorded two of EIU's three hits, while Paige Murphy recorded EKU's only hit of game one and the only stolen base of the game.

Wireman improved to 15-10 on the mound. Murphy McRoberts falls to 11-5 for the Colonels.

Game 2

Eastern Kentucky took the final game of the day with a 4-0 shut out win. Mollie Paulick pitched to all but one batter through 6.2 inning tallying seven strikeouts as EKU cliches their share of the OVC regular season title. Bear finished 2-for-4 at the plate for the Panthers.

The Colonels put two runs on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Paige Murphy hit a lead-off homer to right center. Clark followed up Murphy's hit with a single to center field. She eventually scored on a double from Emily Corbitt.

EKU added another run in the fifth inning as Destinee Lizzmore hit a solo homer to center field. Corbitt would score the Colonels final run of the game in the top of the sixth following a single from Zoe Mihalicz.

Rogers pitched 5.2 innings and took the loss falling to 17-6 on the mound. Valerie Thompson cam in for relief in the final 1.1 innings of play.

EIU Sweeps Morehead State

Kayla Bear hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure EIU Softball's sweep over Morehead State. The Panthers shut out the Eagles with a 2-0 game one win. They turned around and took game two 3-2 in eight innings of play.

EIU improves to 33-17 overall and 12-8 in the OVC. Morehead State falls to 27-19 overall and 8-12 in the OVC.

The Panthers will close out the regular season tomorrow at home with a doubleheader against a first place Eastern Kentucky. EIU will honor their six senior prior to first pitch at 1 pm.

Game 1

Jessica Wireman pitched her fourth shut out of the season recording the 2-0 win on the mound for the Panthers. She improves to 14-10 on the season and retired 10 Morehead State batters.

The Panthers scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Andrea Roberts was walked to get on base early for EIU. Taylor Monahan was next the next at bat singling to left center advancing Roberts to second. Kristen Ames entered the game to pinch run for Roberts and eventually scored on a bunt by Kayla Bear to give the Panthers a 1-0 edge.

EIU added one more in the bottom of the sixth inning. Megan Burton would score the Panthers second run of the game following a single from Roberts and a throwing error by MSU's Cassie Griffin.

MSU was held to only two hits in game one. Chelsea McManaway collected the loss on the mound falling to 16-9 on the season. She recorded 10 strikeouts in the game.

Game 2

The Panthers took the night cap with a 3-2 win over the Eagles in extra innings. Bear would hit a a walk-off single to score Kiley Pelker giving EIU the sweep.

Both teams scored two runs in the first inning. Aubrey Bennet reached first base on a throwing error by third baseman Tori Johnson and scored as MSU's catcher Robyn Leighton homered to left field tallying two RBI on the play. The Panthers responded with four hits and two runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Haley Mitchell hit a two-run single through the right side to tie the game. Bear, Mady Poulter, and Davis each tallied a hit in the inning.

The Panthers entered the bottom of the eight inning with pinch hitters for their first two batters. Pelker entered the game for Morgan LaMore and singled to left center, while Jennifer Ames pinch hit for Tori Johnson and singled to right center advancing Pelker to third base. Bear would take the next at bat singling up the middle to score Pelker for the Panthers 3-2 walk-off victory.

Bear finished the game 3-for-5 at the plate with one run, one RBI, and one stolen base. Mitchell tallied two hits and two RBI. Leighton was 2-for-3 for the Eagles.

Michelle Rogers pitched a complete game improving to 17-6 on the mound. Allison Rager falls to 10-9 for MSU.