The Bradley softball team struggled against the elements this week with a series shortened due to rain and a Wednesday doubleheader pushed back to Thursday.
The Braves dropped both games of the shortened series by scores of 8-7 and 3-0 to the Missouri State Bears in Springfield. The team then returned home for a Thursday doubleheader against rival Illinois State where they split the games.
The Braves have consistently started games strong this season. Bradley’s offense propelled junior pitcher Julie Kestas to a 4-0 lead by the fourth inning. Missouri State battled back though and took advantage of a costly Bradley defensive miscue. But with two outs in the seventh inning, sophomore Kealia Wysocki delivered a three-run long ball to bring the Braves within one, but could not complete the rally.
Head Coach Amy Hayes said Bradley’s hitters come ready and typically put runs on the board early, but she also said she knows they need to be reliable all game.
“We have done a fairly good job starting games off well,” Hayes said. “We need to be consistent and have good at-bats throughout.”
Hayes said Wysocki’s home run was big for team morale, but she stressed that the defense needs to keep the team in the game.
“We should not have been down 8-4, honestly,” Hayes said. “[Wysocki’s] homer gave us a lift.”
In order to be successful moving forward, Hayes said the batters must constantly calibrate to the pitchers.
“We need to trust ourselves that we are good enough to make adjustments against anybody,” Hayes said.
The Braves’ coaching staff has switched to a new infield after shortstop Gabby Stoner and second basewoman Elizabeth Leonard’s struggles. Three freshman started at second, shortstop and third base with sophomore slugger Alison Apke at first base. Freshman Jillian Navarro has seamlessly moved to her natural position of shortstop after playing much of the season in center field.
Hayes said the staff switched their infield defense around to become more reliable.
“Jillian was a shortstop for her high school,” Hayes said. “We needed to make a switch and get a little more consistency at short.”
Navarro is also contributing offensively, boasting an OBP of .393 with four home runs thus far this season. Navarro said the team is learning how to continue to get better every day.
“I believe the key to our success this season is staying positive and working to adapt to diversity,” Navarro said. “Sometimes failure is necessary for the team to recognize their weaknesses and capitalize on them at the next practice so that we can be even better in the next game. It’s not easy, but nothing Bradley softball does is easy. Our coaches find a way to challenge us every day so that we can become a collectively stronger team.”
In the second game of the doubleheader, sophomore pitcher Emma Jackson threw a complete game in a losing effort by scattering four hits. The Bears scored three runs in Jackson’s first inning on the mound returning from injury. Her Missouri State counterpart, Erin Griesbauer, allowed five hits and zero runs.
Hayes said she knows the bats must be consistent each game for success to come.
“Emma is doing a good job for us, and we cannot ask any more from her,” Hayes said. “We outhit Missouri State, but Griesbauer is a top pitcher in the Valley. We are a better hitting team than we showed and need to make adjustments.”
Bradley dropped the first game against ISU 3-2 on Thursday. Jackson put up a complete game while allowing six hits and three runs in the loss. In the second game,
Mahaffy got early run support when the Braves put up five runs in the first two innings. Bradley hung on to win 6-3.
The Braves will continue their five game home stand by hosting Southern Illinois for a three game series. The first pitch on Saturday is scheduled for noon at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.
