Bradley Closes Out Citrus Classic With Victory, Illinois State Wins

ORLANDO, Fla. – Bradley trailed Savannah State 3-2 heading to the bottom of the fourth before exploding for nine runs in the next two innings to close out the Citrus Classic with an 11-3 victory over the Tigers Sunday morning.

In addition to earning the win for Bradley, sophomore Taise Thompson highlighted a five-run fifth with a three-run homer and fellow sophomore Stacia Seeton, who drove in five runs in the game, closed the game with a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth to give Bradley (9-10 overall) the 11-3 win.

Savannah State (0-12 overall) managed just three hits against Bradley pitchers, but had an early 1-0 lead after scoring a run in the top of the first.  Stacie Smith led off the game with a single and stole second.  After moving to third on a groundout, Smith got the Tigers on the scoreboard when she stole home later in the inning.

Bradley answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to go in front 2-1.  Freshman Lucy Mead started a 2-for-3 day at the plate with a single and senior Gabby Stoner followed with the first of her three hits in the game.  Mead stole second to put runners at the corners and Seeton plated Mead with a sacrifice fly to the game at 1-1.  Stoner scored later in the inning on a single off the bat of senior Katie Habryle to put the Braves in front 2-1.

Senior Julie Kestas worked around a one-out double in the second and sat Savannah State down in order in the third, but the Tigers struck for two more runs in the fourth.  Back-to-back Bradley errors to open the inning put two runners on and a sacrifice fly by Peyton Mitchell drove in Kameryn Baker to tie the score at 2-2.  A RBI single by Cortni Jones plated Jakayla Sullivan as Savannah State recaptured the lead (3-2).

Junior Allison Apke (Teutopolis) led off the bottom of the fourth with a pinch hit single and Bradley had runners at first and second after Mead’s second hit of the day.  Stoner ripped a double to center to drive in Apke from second and knot the score again at 3-3.  A sacrifice fly by Habryle drove home Mead with the go-ahead run as Bradley grabbed a 4-3 lead.

Thompson, who took over in the circle for Kestas with two outs in the top of the fourth, helped her own cause with a three-run homer.  The home run was her third of the season.

Thompson sat Savannah State down in order in the top of the fifth and the Braves closed out an 11-3 win with four more runs in the bottom half of the inning.  Back-to-back singles by freshmen Camryn Monteer and Grace French to open the inning was followed by a two-out Stoner single to load the bases.  Seeton provided the big hit of the day with a two-out grand slam for her fourth homer of the year and 13th of her career as the Braves topped the Tigers 11-3.   

Thompson earned the win for Bradley to pick up her first victory of the year, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.  Kestas struck out five in 3.2 innings of work, giving up three runs (one earned).

Bradley returns to action Saturday, playing a noon doubleheader at Eastern Kentucky.

At Baton Route

Illinois State blanked Stephen F. Austin 6-0 at the Purple & Gold Challenge at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge, La. Friday.

Illinois State took a 2-0 lead in the third then added on a single run in the fifth and three in the seventh.

Teutopolis graduate Kadi Borries was a pinchrunner for the winners while Anni Borries was the catcher and had two at-bats.

Morgan Day threw a complete game shutout allowing just two hits.