Allison Apke Hits Team-Best Ninth Home Run

PEORIA, Ill. – Junior Allison Apke (Teutopolis H.S.) hit her team-best ninth home run of the year and went 2-for-5 at the plate, but Missouri State took a pair of one-run contests from Bradley Softball at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex Saturday afternoon.

Missouri State (22-13 overall, 8-4 MVC) moved into fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with the doubleheader sweep, edging Bradley (18-15 overall, 5-5 MVC) 4-3 in the opener and hanging on for a 3-2 victory in the nightcap.

The Braves jumped out to an early lead, plating three runs in the first inning of the opener. Freshman Lucy Mead, who was 2-for-6 on the day, tripled to left to lead off the bottom of the first for Bradley and scored on a single by Vicki Zaluske.  Sophomore Stacia Seeton ripped a single to left center and a Missouri State error on the play allowed Zaluske to score all the way from first.  Seeton later scored on a groundout by sophomore Taise Thompson as the Braves took a 3-0 lead.

Senior Megan Mahaffy worked around Missouri State singles in both the first and second innings to keep the Bears off the scoreboard and sat MSU down in order in the third.

A Bradley error to open the Missouri State fourth would lead to a run, however.  Daphne Plummer reached on the error to start the inning and the Bears had runners at first and second after a two-out walk.  Missouri State pitcher Steffany Dickerson helped her own cause with a RBI single to cut her team’s deficit to 3-1.

The Braves threatened in the bottom half of the fourth, putting runners at the corners after singles by Thompson and Apke to start the inning.  Missouri State got the first out of the inning when a base runner left early and the Bears threw out Thompson at the plate on a fielder’s choice.  A groundout later ended the Bradley half of the fourth.

Missouri State loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth on a Payton Minnis single, Kyana Mason walk and Darby Joerling single.  Plummer provided the big hit of the inning for Missouri State with a triple just inside the first-base bag which drove in all three base runners and put the Bears in front 4-3.

Mahaffy retired Missouri State on just five pitches in the sixth and needed just eight pitches in a scoreless seventh.  The Braves were scoreless in the fifth, however, and Dickerson sat Bradley down on nine pitches in the sixth.

Bradley tried to mount a seventh-inning rally with Apke getting the inning started with a walk.  Missouri State followed a groundout with a double play to take the opener 4-3.

Mahaffy, who was 5-1 in her last six decisions entering the game, suffered the setback for Bradley to fall to 5-4 on the year.

In the nightcap, Missouri State scored single runs in both the first and second innings to take an early lead.  A Bradley error on a Plummer single allowed Joerling to score from second and the Bears threatened to add to the lead later in the inning after loading the bases on a two-out walk by Rachel Weber.  Thompson came on in relief to get an inning-ending strikeout and limit Missouri State to the single run.

Bradley left a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the first and Missouri State struck for another run in the second.  Kelly Metter walked to start the inning and scored from first on a Mason triple to left as the Bears led 2-0.

The Braves stranded a runner in the second and left two on in the third before Missouri State added an important insurance run in the top of the fourth.  Joerling drew a two-out walk with a runner on base and Plummer followed with a RBI single to left as the Bears extended their advantage to 3-0.

Apke finally got Bradley on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the fourth with a solo homer to center to lead off the frame and pull Bradley within two at 3-1.  The home run was Apke’s team-best ninth of the year and pushed her career total to 24.  Her nine homers this spring is tied for the fourth-best season total in Bradley history.

Thompson retired Missouri State in order in the fifth and was able to work around a leadoff double for a scoreless sixth.  The Braves would strike for another run in the sixth.  Thompson singled and raced all the way to third due to a MSU error on the play.  Senior Katie Habryle drove her home with a sacrifice fly to deep center to cut the Missouri State lead to one (3-2).

The Braves would try to mount another seventh inning rally, only to fall short.  Mead drew a walk and a Zaluske double put runners at second and third with only one out.  Dickerson came on in relief of Missouri State starter Erin Griesbauer to induce a pair of groundouts and close out the 3-2 win for the Bears.  Senior Julie Kestas fell to 4-2 on the season with the loss in the circle for the Braves.

Sunday's Game

Junior Emma Jackson tossed a three-hit complete game shutout and junior Kealia Wysocki was 2-for-2 with a home run as Bradley Softball blanked Missouri State 2-0 Sunday afternoon at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.

Jackson evened her record at 4-4 on the season with the victory, scattering three Missouri State singles and striking out six in her fourth complete game effort of the spring.

She worked around a pair of two-out walks for a scoreless first inning and sat Missouri State (22-14 overall, 8-5 MVC) down in order in the top of the second before working around a hit and error for a scoreless third inning.

In the bottom of the third, Wysocki gave Bradley (19-15 overall, 6-5 MVC) the lead with a solo homer to leadoff the frame.  Wysocki’s blast, which hit halfway up the scoreboard in right center, was her ninth of the season to tie her with fellow junior Allison Apke for the team lead.

The Braves added another run in the inning to take a 2-0 advantage.  Freshman Lucy Mead beat out a bunt single and stole second before coming around to score on an Apke single to center.

Missouri State had its best scoring chance in the top of the fifth after Hope Hamilton walked to leadoff the inning.  The Bears had runners at second and third with two outs, before Jackson got a fly out to end the threat.

In the top of the sixth, Missouri State’s Madison Hunsaker drew a walk and Steffany Dickerson kept the inning alive with a two-out single through the right side of the infield.  Jackson got a fly out to left, however, to keep the Bears off the scoreboard.

A six-pitch top of the seventh for Jackson closed out the first Bradley shutout of the season as the Braves posted their first shutout of a Missouri Valley Conference opponent since blanking Wichita State 1-0 on April 9, 2017.  A pair of groundouts and fly out sealed the Bradley victory.

Bradley returns to action Wednesday, opening an eight-game road swing with a 3 p.m. doubleheader at I-74 rival Illinois State.