Freshman LHP Brent Stong gave Bradley 7.0 strong innings and senior LF Mike Tauchman was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored and RBI, but Evansville (23-33) staved off elimination in the 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Championship when Kevin Kaczmarski launched a 3-run, walk-off home run, lifting the Purple Aces to a 4-3 win in Wednesday’s second round at Duffy Bass Field. The loss ends the Braves season at 17-32 and Tauchman, the Joe Carter MVC Player of the Year, will have to wait and see if his school-record .425 season batting average stands up as the nation’s best through the remainder of the postseason. Stong limited Evansville to one run on four hits in his longest outing of the season, 7.0 innings, then gave way to fellow freshman Elliot Ashbeck to start the eighth. Ashbeck (0-2) worked a perfect eighth, but ran into trouble with one out in the ninth. After surrendering a single to No. 8 hitter, shortstop Shain Showers, Ashbeck walked No. 9 hitter Andy Lasher before Kaczmarski lined his game-winning blast over the right-field wall.
-Bob
While the backcourt stars from both teams combined for 79 points, Bradley junior forward Tyshon Pickett proved to be the difference, leading the host Braves (14-10, 6-6 MVC) to a 76-70 Missouri Valley Conference victory versus Evansville (13-11, 6-6 MVC) Tuesday night at Carver Arena. Colt Ryan scored a game-high 27 points, highlighted by a 4-minute, 26-second stretch spanning halftime that saw him score 17 points on 7-for-7 shooting from the field. In his other 33 minutes, however, Ryan was 3-for-15 from the field. D.J. Balentine added 13 points off the bench for Evansville, while Ned Cox chipped in with 10 for the Purple Aces. Bradley countered the 40-point combo from Ryan and Balentine with 21 points from senior guard Dyricus Simms-Edwards and 18 points from junior guard Walt Lemon, Jr. who added six rebounds, five assists and two steals, split two free throws with 1:16 remaining to give the Braves the lead for good, 71-70.
-Bob
Bradley scored 11 points before Evansville took its first shot and the Braves never trailed as they pulled away for a convincing 78-52 victory against the visiting Purple Aces Thursday at Renaissance Coliseum. Senior Katie Yohn helped Bradley (8-11 overall, 2-6 MVC) make a season-high 10 three-pointers, connecting on 6-of-8 from beyond the arc en route to a season-high 21 points. Evansville (7-12 overall, 5-3 MVC) trimmed BU’s early 11-point lead to three points at 25-22 with 8:58 to play in the first half, but that was as close the Braves would allow the Purple Aces to get the remainder of the contest. After stretching its lead to nine points at the half (42-33), Bradley opened the second half with a 13-2 run to extend the advantage to 55-35 with 13:37 remaining and the game was never in doubt. Yohn had one of her six threes and a pair of assists during the run which put the game out of reach. Sophomore Michelle Young added 11 points and freshman Jenny Smith scored 10 points off the bench to help pace the Braves. Junior Catie O’Leary dished out a career-high seven rebounds and tied Smith for team-high honors with six boards.
-Bob
Bradley University sophomore Courtney Keefe turned in season highs of 14 kills and 18 digs, but the Southern Illinois duo of Laura Thole (22 kills) and Alysia Mayes (20 kills) helped power the Salukis to a five set victory against the Braves Friday at Renaissance Coliseum. Set scores in favor of SIU were 18-25, 25-17, 25-23, 21-25, 15-9. Keefe collected a team and season high 14 kills in addition to finishing one dig short of matching her career-best total with 18 digs in the five-set loss. She was one of four BU players to reach double figures in kills, with sophomore Allie Falter adding a career-best 12 kills. Bradley (6-13 overall, 0-8 MVC) got off to a hot start, hitting .500 in the first set and ran away with a 25-18 opening set victory. Falter and senior Madelyn Ervin each tallied four kills on five swings to lead the Braves in the opening-set win. Southern Illinois (16-3 overall, 6-2 MVC) answered with a .424 attack percentage in the second set and pulled even in the match with a 25-17 victory. Taylor Pippen led the Saluki offensive attack in the second set, finding the floor with five kills on just six attack attempts. Click here to view more photo’s from the game.
-Bob
Bradley capitalized on three Evansville errors to post a 6-0 win in the second game of a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader against the Purple Aces Saturday afternoon at Laura Bradley Park, after Evansville took the opener 5-1. Sophomore Madeline Lynch-Crumrine scattered four hits over six and one-third innings in the nightcap in addition to going 2-for-3 with a run and RBI to help the Braves snap a five-game game losing skid. Lynch-Crumrine pitched 8.1 scoreless innings in the two games and earned the win in the circle in the second game. Sophomore catcher Bailiegh Basham hit a two run home-run in the second game for the Braves. Game One Box Score, Game Two Box Score.
-Bob
