SIUE's rally falls short against Bradley

Cougars come up just short in non-league matchup at home

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The SIUE baseball team's comeback attempt fell just short as visiting Bradley held on for an 8-7 win over the Cougars at Roy E. Lee Field. SIUE scored twice in the third inning and added three more runs late, but couldn't overcome an early 5-1 deficit.

Why it matters

The loss drops SIUE to 5-8 on the season, while Bradley improves to 4-7. The Cougars were looking to build momentum heading into a three-game series at Kansas State this weekend.

The details

Bradley chased SIUE starter Noah Thompson with four runs in the third inning, highlighted by a bases-clearing double from Jack Holubowski. The Cougars scored twice in the third and added single runs in the fourth and eighth innings, but couldn't complete the comeback despite a two-run homer from Terrick Thompson-Allen in the ninth.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.
  • SIUE will travel to Kansas State for a three-game series starting on Friday, March 7, 2026.

The players

Noah Thompson

The SIUE starting pitcher, who allowed four runs in 2.1 innings of work.

Jack Holubowski

The Bradley player who drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double in the third inning.

Terrick Thompson-Allen

The SIUE player who hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to pull the Cougars within a run.

Joe Cirelli

The Bradley starting pitcher, who earned the win after allowing five runs over 7.1 innings.

Brendan Fry

The SIUE player who had three hits in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We just came up a little short today, but I'm proud of the way the guys battled back late in the game. We'll regroup and get ready for a big series at Kansas State this weekend.”

— SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons (theintelligencer.com)

What’s next

SIUE will travel to Manhattan, Kansas to take on Kansas State in a three-game series starting on Friday, March 7, 2026.

The takeaway

Despite the loss, SIUE showed fight by scoring five runs late to nearly complete the comeback against a tough Bradley squad. The Cougars will look to build on that momentum as they head to Kansas State for a crucial non-conference series this weekend.