ORLANDO, Fla. -- Freshman Trisha Kowalewski smacked her team-leading third home run of the season and freshman Molly Bergeson picked up her first career victory as the duo helped spark the Bradley softball team to an 11-3 victory over Central Florida, Friday afternoon in Orlando, Fla. The Golden Knights salvaged a split with the Braves as UCF posted a 3-2 win in the nightcap.

Bradley (5-6 overall) jumped out to an early lead in the opening game, scoring three runs in the top of the second inning. Junior Joanna Pettit singled to left field and senior Angela Toures followed with a single of her own, before Kowalewski cleared the bases with her team-best third home run of the season.

The Golden Knights got one run back in the bottom half of the inning. A single by Crystle Kraft and double by Cat Snapp put runners at second and third and was followed by an RBI groundout by pitcher Kelly McIntyre that scored Kraft. Bergeson pitched out of the jam however, as Bradley held a 3-1 lead after two innings.

The Braves pushed three more runs across in the top of the third inning. Bergeson reached on an error and advanced to third base on a wild pitch to lead off the inning. Senior Brittany Mynsberge drove in one of her three RBI in the game with a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Bergeson. After a Pettit single, Central Florida reliever Jennifer Tomasetti walked the next three batters and hit another with a pitch to push Bradley's lead to 6-1.

Stephanie Best belted her 14th home run of the season to lead off the bottom of the third for Central Florida and the Golden Knights scratched out another run to make it 6-3, but Bergeson held off any further UCF rally attempts for her first collegiate victory.

Pettit smacked a two-run double in the fourth inning and Mynsberge added a two-run single to right center in the top of the fifth to help the Braves to the final 11-3 margin. Pettit added an RBI single in the top of the fifth to finish the game 4-for-4 with three RBI. Mynsberge went 2-for-3 with three RBI and Kowalewski was 1-for-2 with three RBI in the first game.

Bergeson improved to 1-1 on the season in the five-inning victory. She struck out three and walked five in her longest outing of the season.

The Golden Knights (23-16-1 overall) got revenge in the nightcap, holding on for a 3-2 victory.

Bradley again took an early lead, plating one run in the top of the first. Bergeson led off the game with an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Pettit moved Bergeson to third with a single to left field and Toures knocked Bergeson home with a single.

Central Florida's Best ripped her 15th home run of the season, a two-run blast, in the bottom of the third inning to give the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead.

The Golden Knights added an important insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cici Alvarez and Best both drew walks and moved to third and second, respectively, on a groundout. Alvarez scored on an infield single by Krafft to give UCF a 3-1 lead.

The Braves scratched out a run and threatened to score more in the top of the seventh. Kowalewski reached on an error and advanced all the way to second base. Elizabeth Wilson followed with a single to left. After a popout, pinch runner Stephanie Ramsey stole second to put runners at second and third with one out. Kowalewski scored on a Holly Rogers groundout, but UCF's Lindsay Enders got Bergeson to fly out to end the game.

Junior Brittany Dehler took the loss for the Braves, falling to 3-2 on the season. Dehler struck out one and walked two while giving up four hits in four inning of work.

Bradley closes out play in Florida Wednesday with a pair of games as part of the Rebel Spring Games. The Braves face Fairleigh Dickinson Wednesday at 7:50 a.m. (CST) and IUPUI at 11:30 a.m. (CST).