The Braves hit the road for a three-game series against the Indiana State Sycamores. In this series, the team battled through tight innings and momentum swings, showing flashes of strong offense while solid pitching held.
However, they would return home with one win and two losses.
In the first matchup of the weekend, the Sycamores came out strong, building momentum in the first few innings. They capitalized on timely hitting to take control of the game. The Braves were able to get on the board in the third inning when Hannah Brooks came through with a two-RBI single that scored Olivia Turner and Ashley Breeding, giving Bradley some offensive life.
Despite the effort, the Sycamores responded with a big offensive fifth inning in the game to help extend their lead. They continued to capitalize on their opportunities at the plate and ultimately would take the game, giving Bradley a 10-2 loss.
The Braves looked to bounce back in the second game and got off to a much better start offensively. In the first inning, Turner stepped up to deliver a huge swing, blasting a three-run home run that scored Breeding and Austin Comstock for the Braves to take the early advantage.
The Sycamores slowly chipped away at the lead over the next few innings, adding runs and keeping the pressure on Bradley. However, the Braves stayed composed thanks to Gianna Hillegonds, who pitched a complete game and kept the Sycamores from taking control. The Braves’ defense held strong late in the game to give the Braves a close win of 4-3.
With the series tied, the final game became the deciding matchup. Both teams battled throughout the match with base runners and timely contact, while the Sycamores continued to apply offensive pressure.
The game remained competitive through several innings as both teams looked for a key breakthrough. The Sycamores ultimately capitalized on late-game scoring opportunities to gain the advantage and close out the series.
Despite the tough final result, the Braves showed plenty of fight throughout the series with strong contributions from Turner, Brooks, Breeding and Hillegonds.
The Braves will travel to Carbondale, Illinois, to compete in their second conference series against the Southern Illinois Salukis, who are 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
