Bradley softball competed in five games at the Blues City Invitational, finishing the weekend with one win and four losses against a competitive field.
The Braves opened tournament play with a doubleheader against the North Carolina A&T Aggies and Morehead State Eagles on the first day of competition.
Bradley worked to find offensive rhythm but struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities despite trailing by just three going into the sixth inning. The Aggies were then able to generate momentum at the plate, putting up four runs in the sixth and pitching a scoreless ninth to hand the Braves an 8-1 loss.
The Braves responded with a disciplined approach at the plate in their next game against Morehead State. They capitalized on scoring chances and maintained control through the first six innings. Bradley held a four-run lead going into the bottom of the seventh, but the Eagles wouldn’t go down without a fight.
Thanks to a string of hits, Morehead State was able to tie the game and force extra innings. The Braves followed up by plating a run with an RBI double in the eighth inning before shutting down the Eagles in the bottom of the inning to secure what would be their lone win of the weekend, 7-6.
On the second day of the tournament, the Braves faced the Kentucky Wildcats. The team worked to keep the contest within reach early, scoring first and keeping the game within two runs in the first four innings. However, the Wildcats capitalized on timely scoring opportunities to create separation as Bradley ultimately fell, 7-0.
The Braves concluded tournament play against the Northern Illinois Huskies and the Memphis Tigers softball on the final day.
In their first matchup of the day, the Huskies’ offense came out strong early and continued to pile on runs throughout the course of the game, with the Braves unable to keep up despite challenging efforts in a 10-5 loss.
Their last matchup of the day and the tournament was against the Tigers. Bradley hit the ground running with eight runs in the first inning, and at one point held a 14-4 lead, maintaining that advantage until the closing innings. The Tigers put up 10 runs across the final three innings, transforming what should’ve been a great closing of the weekend for the Braves into a devastating 16-14 loss.
The Braves will be traveling to Richmond, Kentucky this weekend to compete in the EKU Colonel Classic.
