PEORIA, Ill. – A pitcher's duel turned into an offensive slugfest as Indiana State dropped the series finale at Bradley in a 10-2, six inning final in Peoria Saturday afternoon.
 
The Sycamores (16-32, 4-19 Missouri Valley) struck first and were the only team to score a run in the first three innings of play as Mallory Marsicek singled up the middle in the second to send pinch runner Kristen Kelly across the plate. Kelly entered the game at second after Amanda Guercio doubled to right center.
 
But the bats for both teams went silent until the bottom of the fourth when Bradley (27-18, 14-8) scored as Kealia Wysocki hit a solo home run. That was the first of three home runs for a Braves team that ranks 11^th nationally in homers.
 
Coincidentally the next Bradley score came off a home run when Allison Apke hit a grand slam to center in the fifth, giving Bradley the 5-1 advantage. Apke finished the game with a 2-for-4 day at the plate with two runs scored and five RIB. Indiana State would add a run in the top of the sixth as Bella Peterson would hit an RBI single to center, plating Leslie Sims who reached on a leadoff single.
 
In the bottom half of the sixth, Bradley kept the offensive momentum going starting with Gabby Stoner's one-out RBI single. Stoner would then score on Allison Apke's RBI single after an error and a strikeout, pushing Bradley's lead to 7-2. With two on and two out, Taise Thompson sent the ball over the left field wall for a walkoff home run as the run-rule was enacted.
 
Gabbi Schnaiter (9-13) was charged with the loss after allowing 10 runs – six earned – on 10 hits while walking four and striking out five. Emma Jackson (5-5) claimed the win for Bradley, holding the Sycamores to two runs on seven hits in a complete game performance while not issuing a walk and striking out four.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Amanda Guercio gets the tip of the cap here as she went 2-for-3 at the plate and set up Indiana State's first run of the game. Guercio was also steady in the field at first base with five putouts.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
Indiana State's double play in the fourth inning marked a Missouri Valley Conference-leading 21^st double play turned this season by the Sycamores.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Emma Jackson, Bradley (5-5)
• Loss: Gabbi Schnaiter, Indiana State (9-13)
• Save: None

 
RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 16-32 (4-19 MVC)
• Bradley: 27-18 (14-8 MVC)

NOTABLES

• Indiana State falls to 34-66 all-time against Bradley with a 14-32 mark in Peoria.
• With a 5-4-3 sequence in the fourth inning, Indiana State turned its 21^st double play of the year. That mark leads the Missouri Valley Conference and places the Sycamores in the top 40 nationally.
• The 21 double plays turned by ISU this year ranks tied for fifth in Indiana State's single season history, equaling the 21 double plays turned by the 2013 Sycamores.
• Leslie Sims recorded her 31^st stolen base of the season. That ties her with Morgan Allee (2014) for the second-most stolen bases in a single season in Indiana State history.

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