Valpo U Softball Takes Two at Bradley, Extends Win Streak to Five

Valpo U Softball Takes Two at Bradley, Extends Win Streak to Five

The Valpo softball team extended its winning streak in Valley play to five straight games Saturday in Peoria, Ill., taking the opener 1-0 behind a one-hit effort in the circle from Erin Metz (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) and Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]) before using a keen eye at the plate and timely hitting to earn an 8-4 win in the nightcap. The five-game winning streak is the program’s longest in conference play since 2018.

How It Happened – Game One

–          Valpo scored what proved to be the game’s lone run in the top of the second, 60 feet at a time. Kayden Krug (Milford, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) reached on a fielder’s choice, moved up to second on a single by Sophia Leitzen (Orfordville, Wis./Brodhead), advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a passed ball by Bradley’s catcher.

–          The only hit off the Beacons’ pitching in the opener was a one-out double in the bottom of the second. A walk followed to put two runners on for the Braves, but Metz induced back-to-back popups back to the circle to keep Bradley off the board.

–          No runner reached third base the rest of the way for either team. Bradley did put its first two runners on base via the walk in the seventh, but in between, Madison Vrastil (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) threw out the leadoff batter trying to steal.

How It Happened – Game Two

–          The Beacons matched the first game’s run production in the top of the first inning of the nightcap. Vrastil worked a nine-pitch walk to lead off the game, and after moving up to second on a grounder and stealing third on a delayed steal, scored on a line-drive sacrifice fly from Lopez.

–          Already holding the lead, Valpo looked to bust the game open in the top of the second. Vrastil stepped to the plate with a pair of runners in scoring position and one out and knocked a single back up the middle to score both runs. Later in the frame, the freshman scored on an 0-2 single from Lopez, and Krug followed by drawing a bases-loaded walk to push the Beacons’ lead to 5-0.

–          Bradley connected on a pair of homers in the bottom of the second to score three and cut the Valpo lead to 5-3.

–          It was again Vrastil coming up big in the fifth, knocking a two-out single down the left-field line to score Kim Rodas (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon) — who had walked earlier in the inning — and make it a 6-3 game.

–          Bradley threatened to rally to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with nobody out on an error, a double and a hit by pitch. But an RBI groundout plated the Braves’ only run of the frame, as a liner and a strikeout kept Valpo in front, 6-4.

–          What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, and Valpo returned the favor in the top of the seventh by loading the bases with nobody out on a single sandwiched by a pair of walks. Natalie Bush (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) drove in one run with a groundout, and after a walk loaded the bases again, Marissa Jackson (Willis, Mich./Huron) chopped a single on the infield for the game’s final run. Lopez closed the game with a 1-2-3 inning in the circle.

Inside the Games

–          With Saturday’s wins, Valpo has won five games in a row for the second time this season — prior to this year, the program had just one five-game winning streak in the last six years.

–          All five of those wins have come in MVC play, giving the Beacons their longest Valley winning streak since winning six straight late in the 2018 campaign.

–          This is also the first time since that aforementioned 2018 streak that Valpo has won consecutive MVC series, as the Beacons secured the series win over UIC with Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep and clinched this weekend’s series with Saturday’s sweep.

–          Valpo has won its last four road games overall and its last five MVC road contests — both streaks the longest since the 2017 squad won six consecutive Horizon League games.

–          The last time before this week that Valpo won four consecutive games, all of which were true road games, was April 2012.

–          The story of the opener was the one-hit effort in the circle from Metz and Lopez. Metz delivered four innings of one-hit ball in her start and then turned the ball over to Lopez, who earned the save with three hitless shutout innings.

–          The one hit allowed by Valpo pitching was its best single-game effort since the Beacons’ last trip to Bradley in 2023, when Caitlyn Kowalski threw a no-hitter.

–          Meanwhile, in the nightcap, the Beacons showcased their collective discerning eye at the plate for the second time this week. Valpo drew 11 walks, matching their total in Tuesday’s nightcap at UIC which is tied for second-most in a single game in program history.

–          Rodas drew three of those free passes, her second career three-walk game and matching Valpo’s season single-game high.

–          Vrastil dominated at the top of the order in the nightcap, going 2-for-3 — her 16^th multi-hit game of the season — with two walks, a stolen base, two runs scored and three RBIs. After tallying just four RBIs in the season’s first 30 games, the freshman has five RBIs in the last three contests.

–          Mack Gallagher (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East [MSU Moorhead]) reached twice via a hit and a walk in the nightcap after drawing a walk in the opener, extending her on-base streak to 14 straight games.

–          The decisions in the circle for Valpo mirrored the opener in the nightcap. Metz entered in relief in this contest and threw three innings of one-run ball, earning the win to improve to 6-1 this season. Lopez then tossed the final three innings and only gave up one unearned run while striking out three for her second save of the day and fourth of the season.

Next Up

Valpo (17-16, 6-6 MVC) looks for the series sweep of Bradley Sunday afternoon at noon.