Bradley’s non-conference series against the University of Omaha-Nebraska Mavericks couldn’t have gone much worse. They lost all three games, with all three facets of their game letting them down at one point over the weekend.
The team couldn’t muster up much offense in the opener April 18 against the Mavericks. Bradley couldn’t touch Omaha’s starter Tyler Fox. He gave up just two hits in seven shutout innings, and the Braves’ late rally fell short. The team lost 4-2.
The next day, the Braves pitching staff was the problem. Sophomore Cameron Roegner surrendered five runs in the first inning, and again, Bradley’s offense went dormant. The Braves were shutout in game two of the series 7-0.
April 20 was the Braves’ best performance of the weekend. Junior David Koll didn’t give up a hit in four innings, but didn’t pick up the win. Bradley’s bullpen gave up eight runs in the eighth inning and the Braves couldn’t recover. Omaha completed the non-conference sweep 11-6.
The Braves got the bounce back victory they were looking for, as they took down the Cougars 5-1.
Coach Elvis Dominguez said he and the team had a heart to heart before the game on April 23. He wanted to get everything out that was bothering the team, and tell them to move forward.
“We had a nice little chat before tonight’s game,” Dominguez said. “We got everything out because for some reason we just aren’t playing well at home. So I challenged them to play perfect, and we did just that.”
The Braves needed a bit of a wake up call after letting up a total of 22 runs against Omaha and fell to 8-4 at home before their matchup against SIU-E, Dominguez said.
However, with the strategy to only pitch relief pitchers against the Cougars, the Braves had six total pitchers to hold SIU-E to only one run on six hits.
Dominguez said that his idea paid off in a much-needed victory heading into a weekend series with Missouri Valley Conference co-leader Evansville.
“We came in with a plan because so many guys needed work,” Dominguez said. “Our pitching was outstanding tonight, and they all showed me what I usually see out of them.”
The Braves held a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning when sophomore Elliot Ashbeck gave the Braves some breathing room with a two-out single that plated two runs to give a 4-0 lead. After a wild pitch to score junior Drew Carlile, the Braves had a comfortable 5-0 lead.
That was all the carousel of relief pitchers needed as freshman Matt Dennis finished the game for the Braves with a scoreless ninth inning.
Ashbeck said he agreed with Dominguez that the team lacked something at home, and he said that the struggles could be attributed to potential distractions of family and school work.
“We talked before the game about getting our minds right when we play at home versus on the road,” said Ashbeck.
The Braves have their next six of seven games on the road and begin against Evansville April 25 to 27.
