The Valpo softball team threatened in the seventh inning of its series finale Sunday afternoon in Peoria, Ill. in an effort to sweep host Bradley, loading the bases with nobody out, but the Beacons were unable to push across the tying or go-ahead runs as the Braves escaped with a 4-3 victory.
 
How It Happened

• Valpo had the first top chance of the game, thanks to a double the other way from Carson Kuhlmann (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) to lead off the top of the third. The Beacons eventually had runners on second and third with two out before a groundout ended the frame.
• Bradley took its first lead of the series in the bottom of the third courtesy of back-to-back two-out doubles.
• A leadoff single by Kayden Krug (Milford, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) in the fourth led to the tying run, as after a fielder's choice, pinch-runner Kaiah Fenters (Speedway, Ind./Speedway) was able to score thanks to a pair of Bradley errors.
• The Beacons put the leadoff runner on base for the third straight frame as Madison Vrastil (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) walked to lead off the fifth, and for the second straight inning, they made it count, as the freshman came around to score on a Bradley error.
• Later in the frame, with two on and two out, freshman Sophia Leitzen (Orfordville, Wis./Brodhead) reentered the lineup to hit and lined the first pitch she saw down the right-field line, plating pinch-runner Kyndal Shively (Bloomington, Ind./University) to push the lead to 3-1.
• The Braves retorted with three runs in their half of the fifth to pull ahead, 4-3.
• After a quiet sixth both ways, the Beacons stepped to the plate in the seventh in an effort to tie and take the lead and made immediate inroads towards doing so. Marissa Jackson (Willis, Mich./Huron) dropped a leadoff single into shallow left-center, Mack Gallagher (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East [MSU Moorhead]) drew a walk and Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]) took the first pitch she saw the other way into right-center to load the bases with nobody out.
• A strikeout accounted for the first out, but then bad luck did in the Beacons from there. Leitzen lined a shot back through the middle, where it ricocheted directly off Bradley pitcher Sydney Kennedy towards shortstop Addie Welsh. With the infield playing in to try to cut down the tying run at the plate, Welsh was able to snag it out of the air for one out, and the Beacons' runners had no chance, as Welsh turned the double play to end the game.

 
Inside the Game

• Sunday's loss snapped Valpo's five-game winning streak in Valley play, as well as a four-game road winning streak.
• The one-run loss comes after three of the Beacons' five wins during their winning streak came by a single tally. Valpo now sits at 9-4 in one-run games this season.
• Despite the loss, Valpo claimed the season series from Bradley, 2-1 — the second straight time the Beacons have done so when visiting Peoria.
• Gallagher was the only player in Valpo's lineup to reach more than once, as the junior drew three walks to match the team's single-game high this season.
• Gallagher's trio of free passes Sunday pushed her season total to 27, easily topping all MVC players in that category. She also cracked the program's single-season top-10 in the category, as she is now tied for ninth — just three walks outside the top-five.
• Erin Metz (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) started in the circle Sunday and went 2.2 innings. Lopez tossed the final 3.1 innings and was charged with the loss, falling to 7-10 on the year.

 
Next Up
Valpo (17-17, 6-7 MVC) is scheduled to conclude its three-game series against UIC with a single game at the Valpo Softball Complex Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.