CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Bradley junior right-hander Brandon Magee (Sheboygan, Wis./North H.S.) tossed a two-hit shutout to highlight a doubleheader sweep by the Braves (5-2) Saturday afternoon at Southeast Missouri State (3-6). Bradley won the 7-inning opener, 1-0, the took the nightcap, 6-1.
Magee (2-1) turned in a dominating performance in the opener, blanking the Redhawks on two singles while striking out eight. The two hits Magee allowed were the fewest by a Brave in a complete-game effort since current senior Brian Spielmann also allowed just two hits in a 3-0 victory versus Creighton in a nine-inning complete game on May 18, 2002. The win also came in Bradley's first 1-0 victory since the Braves downed #30 Wichita State April 18, 2003 at O'Brien Field. After walking consecutive batters with one out in the fifth inning, Magee retired the final eight batters he faced, four by strikeouts.
Bradley got its only run in the first inning when junior Joe Napoli (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame H.S.) drove Ryan Curry home with a sacrifice fly. Curry reached base on a one-out single and went to second on a Paul Rice single. Brad Canada walked to load the bases and Napoli followed with his drive to center field. Bradley managed only four hits in the opener, including three singles by Rice.
Bradley earned its fifth consecutive victory in the nightcap behind another dominant pitching performance. Seniors Brian Spielmann (Janesville, Wis./Craig H.S.) and Derek Goins (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) combined to strikeout 10 Redhawks in a 6-1 victory.
Spielmann (1-0) tossed the first five innings and scattered seven hits while striking out nine. After allowing SEMO's lone run on four first-inning singles, two in the infield, Spielmann cruised through the next four innings and struck out the final three batters he faced. Goins tossed two innings of scoreless relief to finish off the doubleheader sweep. Bradley's trio of pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts in 14 innings of work Saturday.
Rice again led the offense in the nightcap, adding three more singles and three runs batted in. The sophomore third baseman from Beardstown, Ill., delivered a run-scoring single in the first and a two-run, infield single to cap a three-run second inning. Napoli added a run-scoring single in the fifth inning, extending his streak of consecutive games with an RBI to five.
Bradley will try to complete the series sweep Sunday when the Braves face Southeast Missouri State in a 1 p.m. single game. Junior righthander Collin Walker (1-0) is expected to get the start for the Braves in the series finale.
