TERRE HAUTE, IN ? The Indiana State softball team (9-14-1, 2-4 MVC) won the first game and lost the second to the Bradley Braves (11-10, 3-4 MVC) in a conference doubleheader at Price Field Saturday afternoon. The Sycamores got a three-run homerun from Meredith Simpson in the bottom of the sixth inning that sealed the game one victory for the home team. In the second game, the Braves scored in all but two innings to run past the Sycamores 7-2.
It didn't look good for Indiana State in the first game as senior Darcy Wood gave up a homerun to the very first Bradley batter she faced. However, in the bottom of the same inning, the Sycamores took the lead thanks to a two-run homerun by Katie Armour. Meredith Simpson reached first base on an error and advanced to second on a Leslie Fakes sacrifice bunt. Armour then hit it over the fence to put Indiana State ahead 2-1.
The Braves regained the lead in the third inning after another Bradley homerun by Amanda Clack with two runners on base. The Sycamores once again answered in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 3-3. Simpson walked and ended up on third base when the Braves committed a throwing error after Fakes popped out to the shortstop. Simpson raced back to first on the out and the Braves' shortstop overthrew the first basemen which advanced Simpson to third. Britt Boyer hit an RBI-single to left center to score Simpson.
With two outs, runners on first and third, and the score netted at 3 runs a piece, sophomore Meagan McCurdy came in to relieve Wood of her pitching duties in the fifth inning. Wood tallied six strikeouts and gave up five hits. McCurdy threw two solid innings for the Sycamores, striking out four of the eight batters she faced.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Simpson hit her third homerun of the season with two runners on to give the Sycamores the game one victory.
Game two would be a different story as the Braves had their bats rolling the entire game, scoring in all but two innings. The visiting team had nine hits compared to the Sycamores four. Simpson hit her second homerun of the day in the fifth inning but the Braves were too much to handle as they walked away with a 7-2 win.
A third game against Bradley will be played tomorrow beginning at noon. Live stats (free) and live video (must purchase) will be available for tomorrow's game via the link below prior to the start of the game:
https://www.nmnathletics.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?DB_ACCOUNT_TYPE=USER&DB_OEM_ID=15200
