Bradley softball faced a challenging start to this season, taking on Prairie View A&M, Incarnate Word and Manhattan this past weekend, coming home with a 2-3 record.
The team opened the weekend against Prairie View, sweeping the Panthers in their two matchups. The Braves’ offense seemed a bit timid at the start of the first game, but once they shook off the butterflies of a new season, it exploded for 32 runs across the next ten innings.
First-year head coach Lauren Gambone cited a change in approach for the uptick in offense after a docile start to the game.
“Offensively, we made a key adjustment, shifting from a passive approach to attacking the first quality pitch in our plan,” explained head coach Lauren Gambone. “We used the middle and opposite fields effectively, which allowed us to string together quality at-bats and steadily put pressure back on our opponent.”
Bradley hunted pitches early in the count, and despite its aggressive nature, stayed efficient, not allowing Prairie View’s bullpen to expand the zone. They blended their offensive aggression with situational defense, keeping the Panthers from building momentum as they tried to mount comebacks.
“On defense, we tightened up one execution and played with a sense of urgency. Instead of pressing, we stayed composed, trusted our approach and continued to apply pressure to our opponent,” Gambone said.
Tables turned
In Bradley’s series against Incarnate Ward, they went from predator to prey. The Cardinals essentially took a page out of the Braves’ book, attacking them early in the count and limiting their chances to build offensive momentum.
“What halted our momentum was our inability to carry over the offensive consistency we had built in game one of the day,” Gambone said. “Credit to UIW pitching staff; they did a good job attacking us early in the count.”
In Bradley’s two games against Incarnate Word, they mustered just four runs, but they still found optimism in their play.
“Our effort and competitiveness were there, but there are always small areas that can make a difference,” Gambone said. “Timely hitting is everything in a close ball game. In the circle, limiting free passes and avoiding big innings is important.”
“The adjustments were there, some just did not go our way,” Gambone added.
The Braves’ struggles continued in their following game.
In their matchup versus Manhattan, the Jaspers leapt out to a 5-0 lead in the first two innings, and Bradley was forced to respond quickly.
“The first inning put immediate pressure on us. It can change your strategy right away. It forced us to respond mentally as much as physically,” Gambone remarked.
The Braves responded with two runs in the third and another in the sixth, but their offense couldn’t maintain the production, and they ended the opening weekend with a 10-3 loss.
Though the weekend didn’t go as planned, Bradley has no time to sulk over its wounds with matchups versus high-major powerhouses Auburn and Illinois on the horizon.
Bradley’s season has begun with strong competition, but the Braves are ready.
“Our focus this weekend is showing up with the same energy, intensity and competitiveness every game,” Gambone said. “No matter the opponent or the outcome, our standard remains the same. We prepare and compete the same and trust our process.”
The team is set to travel this weekend to Auburn, Alabama, to compete in the Auburn tournament against Illinois, Binghamton and Auburn.
