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Braves make late-inning magic in series sweep over Southern Illinois

Camryn Schaller throws a pitch against Southern Illinois. Photo courtesy of Josh Schwam/Bradley Athletics

For the first time since 2000, the Bradley softball team swept the Southern Illinois Salukis, with all three wins in come-from-behind fashion. To add to the Braves’ excitement, both their first and final victories were walk-offs.

“Southern has always been a perennial power within The Valley,” head coach Amy Hayes said. “They are someone we always compete with, but we can never get over the hump. It was not only important for our program to win that series but historic to take the sweep.” 

Friday’s first game featured a top-tier pitching matchup between Sarah Harness of Southern Illinois and senior Grace French of Bradley. The Salukis jumped out to a 4-0 lead through six innings of play. 

Both pitchers went all eight frames, but French got the last laugh with her team finishing the job in the bottom of the eighth. 

To set the stage for the comeback, it first took a four-run seventh inning by Bradley to push the game to extra innings. Freshman Abbott Badgley started the frame with a single, followed by a walk from fellow freshman Addie Welsh and a pinch-hit single by junior Abigail Tyler. 

Down to their last out, Braves senior Camryn Monteer cleared the bases with a three-run triple and came home to score on the next play after a single by senior Lucy Mead. 

In the next inning, Welsh won the game for Bradley on a walk-off single that brought home senior Samantha Smith from third base, giving the Braves a 5-4 victory. 

“It’s an awesome feeling to get the big hit,” Welsh said. “We have put in a lot of work this fall and winter, and for it to pay off and to be surrounded by your family is a really good feeling.” 

French finished with a line of eight innings pitched, six hits, four runs, two walks and three strikeouts. 

The first win of the evening was also the 500th career win for Hayes. The Bradley head coach shared a laugh when pondering what the milestone means to her. 

“I think it means that I have been around a while,” Hayes said. “I have been fortunate to coach several different places … I have worked with different players and there is no way I get that [500 wins] without the players that I have had under me and committed to playing where I have coached at. It meant a lot to do it with this crew.” 

Much like game one, the Salukis got on the board first in the nightcap of the doubleheader with a two-run first inning. Bradley was able to answer at the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly by Mead. With one out in the top of the third inning, Braves sophomore pitcher Raegan Branon encountered a bit of trouble with two runners on and a high pitch count. 

Sophomore Camryn Schaller relieved Branon and finished the inning by recording the final two outs with no damage done. Schaller held the Salukis scoreless for the remainder of the game, allowing only two hits along the way. 

The Braves’ bats were held quiet until the sixth inning when Welsh, the hero from the first game, stepped up again. Smith reached base with a single before Welsh sent a ball over the wall for a home run to give Bradley the 3-2 lead. 

Welsh won a State Championship at Peterson Hotels Field and has two of the biggest hits in her college career on the field as well. Safe to say that Welsh loves playing at home. 

“It’s just something about the field,” Welsh said. “I scored the winning run to win a State Championship and now here to have the walk-off bunt against Loyola and now this last weekend. There is just something about this field and it seems like good luck.”

Schaller shut the door in the seventh to get the second win of the day for the Braves and a chance to sweep on Saturday. 

Bradley and Southern followed suit on Saturday, as the Salukis jumped out to another early lead, this time knocking out Branon after three first inning runs. Schaller once again pitched in relief and shut down the Salukis again. Schaller pitched all seven innings in relief, allowing four hits and one run. 

Schaller was named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week for her relief efforts in the two big wins. 

“It means a lot to me to be named pitcher of the week,” Schaller said. “I have been pitching since I was eight, so this is everything you work for.” 

The next game for Bradley is a double-header tomorrow afternoon against the Evansville Purple Aces. The games will be played at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex and first pitch for game one is scheduled for noon. 

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