DES MOINES, Iowa – Closing the deal was the name of the game in Thursday's Missouri Valley Conference Tournament game between No. 5 Indiana State and No. 8 Bradley.
 
The underdog Braves (20-30) scored all three of their runs facing two outs in the second inning, taking advantage of a two-out walk to get the big inning started. It was a frame the Sycamores were unable to close without runs crossing the plate.
 
But three innings later, Indiana State (26-27) took advantage of the same situation. With two outs and runners at the corners, Bella Peterson reached on a fielding error to extend the inning as an Indiana State run crossed the plate. Only this time, for Bradley, the inability to close the deal was lethal.
 
The next two Sycamore batters – Shaye Barton and Brooke Mann – each singled to drive in runs and Indiana State took its first lead of the game by a 4-3 margin. No other Bradley runner would reach scoring position and the Sycamores advanced to the quarterfinal round against No. 4 Valparaiso on Friday.
 
Mallory Marsicek, who was 2-for-3 at the plate and scored in that pivotal fifth inning – drove in Indiana State's only other run facing two outs in the third inning with Leslie Sims on second base. Her single through the left side into shallow left field allowed Sims – who already had two stolen bases on the day – to use her elite speed to race the 120 feet home.
 
Della Gher (4-5) was credited with the win after three scoreless innings in the circle, allowing only three hits and striking out two. Emma Jackson (8-8), who didn't make the trip for Bradley's narrow series victory over the Sycamores in Terre Haute during the regular season, was charged with the loss after allowing four runs – one earned – on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. She walked two and struck out five.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Mallory Marsicek was 2-for-3 in the game with a run scored and an RBI. She delivered in the clutch in both of the innings the Sycamores scored – with an RBI single in the third then with a single that ricocheted off a diving second baseman's glove in the fifth put her on base in a frame in which she eventually scored.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
All seven runs in the game were scored with two outs on the scoreboard.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Della Gher, Indiana State (4-5)
• Loss: Emma Jackson, Bradley (8-8)
• Save: None

RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 26-27 (1-0 postseason)
• Bradley: 20-30 (0-1 postseason)

UP NEXT
No. 5 Indiana State advances to face No. 4 Valparaiso on Friday, May 11 at Noon ET/11 a.m. CT on ESPN+.
 
NOTABLES

• With the win, Indiana State has now won the last five consecutive MVC Tournament games it has played in as well as seven of its last eight MVC postseason contests.
• With the win, Indiana State advances its all-time record over Bradley to 35-63.
• The win marks the Sycamores first win over Bradley in postseason play since 1988.
• Indiana State is now 4-9 all-time against Bradley in postseason play.
• With two stolen bases, Leslie Sims now has 26 stolen bases on the season and remains one of six players in the nation to be perfect on the base baths this season (minimum 20 stolen base attempts).
• Sims accounted for both of Indiana State's stolen bases in the game. The Sycamores entered the contest ranked 76^th nationally with an average of 1.19 steals per game.
• Indiana State recorded its 22^nd double play of the season, a mark that is fourth-best in program history.
• The Sycamores now have 64 stolen bases on the year, matching the 1999 squad for the fourth-most in a single season in program history.
• The win – ISU's 26^th of the season – matches the 1992 team for the fifth-most in a single season in school history.

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