With their chances at making the Missouri Valley Conference tournament hanging by a thread, Bradley baseball made the short trip to Normal over the weekend for a three-game series against Illinois State.
It was the first I-74 series between the Braves and Redbirds under head coach Justin Dedman, with Bradley looking to snap a six-game skid.
Illinois State jumped ahead early in Game 1, scoring four runs in the second inning. The Braves responded in the top of the third, however, as left fielder Landon Lowe hit a two-run home run for the second consecutive game to cut the lead in half.
Bradley was close to escaping the bottom of the third with the game still at 4-2. But with the bases loaded, Redbirds catcher Ryan Bakes hit a grand slam to break the game open and put the Braves’ deficit at six. That lead was extended further in the sixth inning as Illinois State added a two-run homer, making it 10-2.
Bradley got their offense going in the seventh and eighth innings, scoring four runs to cut the lead in half and give them a chance if they could hold the Redbirds scoreless in the bottom of the eighth.
Illinois State wouldn’t remain scoreless, though. A two-run single brought their lead back to six, and then came the finishing blow.
With the bases loaded, Redbirds left fielder Brayden Bakes joined his brother with a grand slam of his own to walk off the game.
Game 2 turned out to be the complete opposite of the first game, with the two teams engaging in a fierce pitchers’ duel.
Braves starter Robert Sanford pitched five scoreless innings in his start, striking out five and allowing just three hits and two walks. Davis Webb followed that up with three innings, striking out five more batters but allowing a run in the seventh on a single.
Despite the efforts of Sanford and Webb, Bradley’s offense could not provide them with any run support. Illinois State starter Carson Cormier dominated the Braves, throwing eight scoreless innings and striking out eight as well.
Bradley had their chances, racking up seven hits, which was more than the five that the Redbirds had, but they couldn’t get a batter across the plate. Illinois State closer Reece Clapp locked down his eighth save of the season with a perfect ninth inning as he struck out two to clinch a series loss for the Braves.
Looking to salvage a game in the series, Bradley’s offense came out much stronger on Sunday. The Braves scored four runs across the first three innings to take their first lead of the series. The Redbirds punched back, though, scoring three runs across the third and fourth innings to cut the deficit to one.
Illinois State took over in the fifth inning, as Bakes continued his red-hot weekend with a solo home run to tie the game at four. The Redbirds proceeded to add on two more runs, and were close to breaking it open before Bradley reliever Ryan Schaffnit was able to induce a double play ball to get out of the inning with the game still in reach.
Bradley came close to getting the game back in their favor in the sixth, loading the bases before adding a run on a wild pitch. This advanced the tying run to third and the go-ahead run to second with just one out. However, a strikeout and flyout that followed ended their chance, and Bakes once again made them pay in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double to get the run back.
Illinois State added another run in the seventh on a single from designated hitter Josh Outlaw to bring their lead to three, and the Braves could only muster one baserunner the rest of the way. Clapp once again came in and pitched a perfect ninth inning, recording save number nine to finish off the sweep.
Originally scheduled to play two midweek games, Bradley had its Tuesday contest against the University of Illinois canceled, meaning its Wednesday matchup against Eastern Illinois would be its final non-conference home game
From the start, it was clear the Panthers outmatched the Braves. Eastern Illinois scored six runs in the first two innings, though Bradley put up a fight and scored four runs across the second and third to keep the game in reach. Their offense flatlined from there, though, as the Panthers tallied six more runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth to cruise to a 12-4 victory.
The Braves travel to Nashville this weekend to face Belmont in their final conference road trip of the season.
