OMAHA, Neb. -- Freshman Trisha Kowalewski belted her team-leading fifth home run and fellow freshman Molly Bergeson scored a pair of runs, but the 23rd-ranked Creighton softball team escaped with a 5-4 victory to complete the three-game Missouri Valley Conference sweep of Bradley at the Creighton Sports Complex Sunday.

The Braves (9-20 overall, 1-11 MVC) took an early 1-0 lead, scoring in the top of the first inning. Bergeson drew a walk to lead off the game and eventually scored from first base on an error with two outs in the inning. Junior Joanna Pettit hit a fly ball to left field that was dropped by Creighton's Katie Ayers, allowing Bergeson to score from first to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

The Bluejays (32-4 overall, 13-1 MVC) knotted the score in the bottom of the second inning on a pinch-hit RBI double by Caitlin Marcano. Jessica German led off the second inning with a double down the left field line and Marcano knocked her in with a one-out pinch-hit double to tie the score at 1-1.

Abby Johnson gave Creighton the lead in the bottom of the third when she hit her second home run of the series. Lauren Flores walked to lead off the inning and Melanie Dorsey followed with a bunt single. The runners advanced to second and third base on a sacrifice bunt, before Johnson belted her fourth home run of the season to put the Bluejays ahead 4-1.

Bradley scored its first earned run off Creighton All-American pitcher Tammy Nielsen in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman Jessie Musgrove drew a one-out walk and gave way to pinch runner Holly Rogers. Rogers moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt and Omaha, Neb., native Sarah Mancuso drove Rogers home with an RBI double to left center to cut Creighton's lead to 4-2.

Kowalewski smashed her team-best fifth home run of the season to chase Nielsen out of the game and tie the score at 4-4 in the top of the fifth inning. Bergeson legged out and infield single with one out and Kowalewski belted a homer that cleared the center field fence to tie the game at 4-4.

Kowalewski's home run knocked Nielsen out the game as Creighton brought Johnson in to pitch. After giving up a single to Brittany Mynsberge, Johnson settled down and pitched the final two and two-third innings without giving up another hit and allowing just one base runner when Bethany Till reached base on an error to lead off the seventh inning.

The score remained tied at 4-4 until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Creighton plated the game-winning run. Mary Egan drew a walk to lead off the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Pinch runner Beth Ramsey moved to third base on a Jessica Merkel through the left side of the infield and Ramsey eventually scored on a groundout to shortstop by Jamie Reiss as Creighton took a 5-4 lead.

Till reached on an error to lead off the seventh inning for the Braves, but Johnson struck out the next two batters and got Mynsberge to pop out to end the game.

Bradley returns to action Wednesday when they close out the season series against Northern Iowa with a 2 p.m. doubleheader against the Panthers in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Braves play host to Western Illinois on Thursday in a single game at 3 p.m. at Laura Bradley Park.