PEORIA, Ill. – Weather halted action in the top of the 5^th inning as the University of Evansville softball team faced off against Bradley. The Purple Aces hold a 2-0 lead in the contest, which will resume on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Following the completion of that contest, the teams will play the series finale. Friday's opener saw the Braves take a 4-0 win.
 
Game 1 – Bradley 4, UE 0
 
Two runs in the second and a pair in the third saw Bradley finish with a 4-0 win in Friday's opener. Braves starting pitcher Abby Rusher allowed just four hits in the full seven innings and struck out four batters.
 
Bradley opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. They recorded three hits, including two triples, as they jumped in front. Keghan Pye hit a single for the first UE hit of the day before Brooke Voss added a double in the third, however, the Braves got out of the jam. In the bottom of the third, the Braves stranded the bases loaded but doubled the lead to 4-0 as they accumulated three walks and two hits.
 
Evansville looked to get on the board with some 2-out momentum in the top of the 5^th. Pye and Emma McDonald each singled before a fly out ended the threat. Over the final two frames, the Aces were retired in order as the Braves secured the win. Kate Ridgway suffered the loss as she gave up four runs in 3 1/3 innings. Gracie Hollingsworth threw the final 2 2/3 frames and kept the Braves off the scoreboard.
 
Pye led the offense picking up two of UE's four hits in the contest.