PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley (13-4) used seven consecutive two-out hits to score seven runs in the fifth inning on the way to an 11-10 victory versus Saint Louis (2-14) Wednesday afternoon at O'Brien Field.
After overcoming an early 3-0 deficit with a 4-run outburst in the bottom of the third inning, Bradley was again forced to come from behind after Saint Louis scored twice in the fourth inning and three more times in the top of the fifth for an 8-4 lead.
Bradley's half of the fifth inning began harmlessly enough when Ryan Curry opened the frame by watching a called third strike. After Paul Rice drew a one-out walk, Brad Canada flew out to center field for the second out of the inning. Left fielder Justin Carr started the rally by singling through the right side of the Billiken infield, moving Rice to third. Carr then stole second and continued on to third while Rice scored on a wild pitch from Saint Louis reliever Lance Rhodes. Designated hitter Jon Smith doubled off the base of the right field wall to pull the Braves within 8-6.
Ryan Kenny pulled the Braves within 8-7 when he plated Smith with a single to left field and Adam Uscicki followed with a double to left center to put runners at second and third. Bradley head coach Dewey Kalmer burned left-handed pinch-hitter Patrick Ryerson, forcing Saint Louis to remove the right-handed Rhodes (0-3) for lefty reliever Mark Zielinski. Kalmer promptly pulled Ryerson in favor of right-handed pinch-hitter Brian LaJeone and the junior reserve responded with a single through the left side of the infield to knot the score at 8-8. Center fielder Johnny Sage gave the Braves the lead for good with a 2-run triple into the right-centerfield gap and he scored Bradley's final run when Curry singled for the seventh consecutive hit of the inning.
Senior Josh Caruso, who relieved starter Kevin Biringer with the bases loaded in the fourth inning, was the beneficiary of Bradley's 7-run fifth frame. Caruso improved to 2-0, despite allowing five runs on six hits during his four innings of relief. Junior lefty Peter Elmer earned his first save of the season by turning in two strong innings to close the game. Elmer allowed one hit and struck out three of the seven batters he faced.
Uscicki led Bradley's 13-hit attack with a 3-for-4 effort, while Curry and Canada both finished with two hits. Leadoff man Johnny Sage drove in a game-high three runs. Despite being hit in the knee by a Biringer pitch early in the game, Saint Louis shortstop Pat Steinhoff collected four of the 14 Billiken hits.
Bradley is off to its best start since the 1996 team also won 13 of its first 17 games en route to a final 40-22 record. The Braves will try to carry their fast start into Missouri Valley Conference action when they open up the league schedule this weekend at Indiana State (9-10). The Valley rivals will play single games Friday at 6 p.m. (CST), Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at noon.
