In Short…
Bradley spoiled the 2019 Loyola Softball Park opener by upending the Ramblers, 12-5. The Maroon and Gold got two hits each from Madison Ebeling, Shannon McGee and Katie Kasubke, while Jessica Shields notched her 30^th stolen base of the season.
 
How It Happened
Two Bradley runs in the first two innings established an early 2-0 lead for the Braves. The Ramblers responded in the second in the form of a Madison Ebeling single to right. The tally brought Abbey Jacobsen home but the Braves notched an outfield assist to only allow one run to score on the play.
 
The Braves added two more in the top of the fifth to extend the lead to 5-1. From there, the Ramblers chipped away and threatened for a comeback. Shannon McGee found a way to score after a Katie Kasubke single in the third inning, setting the table for a big fifth inning. Allyson Ivey's sacrifice fly made it a two-run game, while two batters later the Ramblers cut it to one. Emily Borg got a pinch-hit opportunity and made the most of it with a single to right that brought home McGee, her first RBI of the 2019 campaign.
 
However, it was all Braves from there as high-scoring sixth and seventh innings doomed the Ramblers. A three-RBI double from Vicki Zaluske put the Braves back in front by five at 9-4. After a double-steal in the seventh, Bradley logged its second home run of the contest to widen the lead to 12-4.
 
Ivey tallied her second RBI of the game with a seventh inning single, but that was all the Ramblers plated during their last turn to hit. Bradley took the series opener, 12-5.
 
A Look at the Numbers
-Jessica Shields stole two bases to reach 30 on the season. She's just the third player to steal at least 30 bases in a season in program history (Tara Miller, 34 in 2006; Ellen Antonacci, 31 in 1997).
-Shannon McGee picked up her fifth triple of the season – putting her in a tie for the second highest single-season total in program history.
-The two RBI for Allyson Ivey marked her ninth multi-RBI game of the season. She needs one more to reach the 30-RBI benchmark.
-Kiley Jones recorded a complete game effort and now needs 7.2 innings to tie the second most career innings by a Rambler.
 
Up Next
Loyola and Bradley wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Monday (April 1), marking the only time the Ramblers are scheduled to play on a Monday this season. First pitch is thrown at 11 a.m.