The Peoria Chiefs behind another strong pitching performance from lefty Kyler Burke defeated the Burlington Bees 2-1 before 1,367 fans. Both of the Chiefs runs came by way of sacrifice flies. In the fourth, designated hitter Taylor Davis drove in Ryan Cuneo, who walked and then took third on Anthony Giansanti’s single. Burlington scored their only run in the third when B.A. Vollmuth drove in Sean Jamieson, who doubled. The victory gives Peoria its first four-game winning streak of the season. Click here for complete game stats.
-Bob
Bradley scored in six of the seven innings and put up six runs in the seventh inning to cut short its series-opener at Interstate 74 rival Illinois State 20-14, 2-7 MVC, downing the Redbirds 13-2 Friday night at Duffy Bass Field. The Braves (20-14-1, 5-5 MVC) banged out 16 hits in support of ace left-hander Joe Bircher, who improved to 5-1 on the season with his second complete-game effort of the year. Bircher overcame a rough start to earn his third win in his last four starts and move into a tie for seventh in school history with his 19th career win. The senior lefty scattered five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out six to push his Bradley school record to 270 career strikeouts. Bradley built its 10-run cushion when Greg Partyka lined an RBI single into right field that scooted under Eric Aguilera‘s glove, allowing Mike Tauchman to come around all the way from first while the Braves designated hitter cruised into third. Max Murphy made it 13-2 when he lofted a sacrifice fly to left field. Click here for game box score.
-Bob
There was no shortage of heroes for the Bradley University Baseball team in Sunday’s series finale against Missouri State (24-10, 4-2 MVC) at O’Brien Field before 510 fans on a sunny Easter Sunday. The Braves (16-12-1, 3-3 MVC) earned a 4-3 victory to win the series 2-games-to-1 against the league’s preseason favorite. Junior left fielder Mike Tauchman drove in the winning run in the eighth inning by dumping a 2-out single into left field to bring home freshman first baseman Andrew Wasmund from third. Senior closer Danny Gifford worked around a 2-out walk in the ninth to earn his fifth save of the season to nail down Bradley’s fifth win in its last five games. Redshirt freshman right-hander Patrick Flanagan was stellar in his first start of the season, subbing for the injured John Nasshan. Flanagan threw six scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and two walks while striking out four. Click Here for Box Score.
-Bob
A few snapshots from the past weekend of some young basketball fans enjoying this years IHSA Class 4A Basketball tournament held at the Peoria Civic Center. I love to photograph people at various sporting events when there is a break in the action, or when they express themselves during the peak of action. The Original March Madness Boys High School basketball championships held at Carver Arena provided me I think with some great expressions. Hope you agree.
-Bob
Creighton University freshman Bri Lingl was 4-for-7 with three runs batted in, including an eighth-inning home run in the nightcap, leading the visiting Bluejays (11-10, 2-0 MVC) to a doubleheader sweep at Bradley (10-14, 0-2 MVC) in Missouri Valley Conference softball action Saturday afternoon at Laura Bradley Park. With the score tied, 1-1, the Braves had a chance to earn a walk-off win in the second game after center fielder Julie Sherman legged out a 1-out single and took second on a Jackie Roth sacrifice bunt. Creighton pitched around catcher Bailiegh Basham, who drew five walks in the doubleheader, setting the stage for Madeline Lynch-Crumrine. The sophomore designated player delivered with a line drive single into left field, but Creighton’s Ellen Homan fielded the ball on one hop and her throw home beat Sherman to force the extra inning. Click here for Final Stats: Game #1 Box Score, Game #2 Box Score.
-Bob
