PEORIA, Ill. -- The fourth-seeded Bradley softball team earned a 4-0 victory over Indiana State on Thursday at Peterson Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Complex, advancing to Friday's semifinal. The Braves improve to 29-20 with the victory, while Indiana State sees its season end with an 18-35 record.
 
Bradley struck early in the game with three runs in the first two innings and never looked back thanks to a shutout performance from Julie Kestas in the circle. The senior pitched the first shutout by a Brave in the conference tournament since winning the 2009 title 10 years ago to the day. She yielded just six hits in seven innings of work, striking out three with zero walks for her eighth win of the season.
 
The Braves plated one runner in the bottom of the first when Taise Thompson drew a hit by pitch with the bases loaded. Bradley then added a pair of two-out runs in the second inning when Allison Apke and Thompson delivered for a 3-0 BU advantage.

Kestas would take it from there and would only allow four baserunners in the final five innings to preserve the victory. Bradley added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when Jillian Navarro drove in Stacia Seeton with a sacrifice fly for the 4-0 final score.
 
Bradley continues its quest for a Missouri Valley Championship on Saturday with a matchup against top-seeded and nationally-ranked Drake on Friday. The Braves and 25th-ranked Bulldogs are set to meet in Peoria with an 11 a.m. first pitch.