It’s not been a pretty season for Bradley softball.
The season’s been largely defined by losing streaks, but in a series at home against Evansville and a game on the road against Western Illinois, they managed to win as many games as they lost.
Still, the journey wasn’t pretty.
In the first game of the series against the Purple Aces, the Braves won 4-0 behind a solid pitching performance, with five of Evansville’s seven innings at the plate ending with zero hits. Bradley needed that to hold on to the fragile lead they built up in the second and third innings, as they also struggled offensively down the stretch.
The second game saw the Braves notch six hits, but they were unable to bring any runners home. Despite strong performances, they weren’t as dominant on the mound as they were in the previous game, losing 2-0.
In the third and final game of the series, the Braves couldn’t get anything going on offense, only scoring in the seventh inning on a throwing error. Meanwhile, Evansville played about as well as they had in the previous two games, allowing them to win 3-1. Evansville’s consistency in getting on base was a considerable advantage in comparison to Bradley’s inconsistent hitting.
Traveling to face Western Illinois, spirits were a bit higher for the team. Their 12-26 record was similar to Bradley’s 13-31 record. Facing a beatable opponent, the Braves were expected to put up a fight, but it didn’t look that way early.
Heading into the top of the fifth inning, Western Illinois was up 3-0 as Bradley had struggled to contain them in the first two innings, while their offensive woes continued. This deficit seemed almost too much to handle until sophomore Morgan Schlosser hit a three-run homer that breathed new life into the team.
After Western Illinois scored in the sixth inning to put themselves back up 4-3, the Braves went on a tear in the seventh. Senior Austin Comstock’s two-RBI hit put Bradley back ahead before being brought home herself by senior Brynna Seitz. Western Illinois scored one last time, but it wasn’t enough as the Braves won a whirlwind of a game, 6-5.
This momentum provides hope for the team, as they attempt to right the course before entering the conference tournament. If their fortunes are going to be reversed, it has to start now.
