EVANSTON, Ill. (April 13, 2005) -- Northwestern scored three unanswered runs off Bradley ace Brandon Magee to battle back for an 8-6 non-conference victory Wednesday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park.

Making his first start since March 26 at Indiana State, senior right-hander Brian Spielmann allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits during his 3.0 innings of work. In his second relief appearance of the season, Magee (5-3) took over for Spielmann to start the fourth inning. Despite giving up a run in the bottom of the fourth on an Antonio Mule leadoff double and a pair of groundouts, it appeared the Braves might make a winner of the junior righthander when they scored three runs in the sixth for a 6-5 lead.

Johnny Sage led off the fifth with a double. Ryan Kenny, who hit a solo home run in the third inning, plated Sage with a single to left field. Following a walk to Paul Rice and a fielder's choice ground ball by Brad Canada, Justin Carr came through with an RBI single to left. After Joe Napoli's fly ball for the second out, first baseman Jon Smith completed the rally with a run-scoring double to left center.

The Wildcats pulled even on a run-scoring fielder's choice in the sixth, then took advantage of a pair of Bradley errors to take the lead for good, 7-6, by plating one more run in the sixth. Northwestern tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on a two-out RBI single by reserve first baseman Luke Sundheim.

Chris Hayes, who inherited runners at first and second with one out in the eighth, got the final five outs of the game to earn the save.

The Braves (18-10) will return to action Saturday by hosting NAIA Robert Morris College in a doubleheader at O'Brien Field. Saturday's twinbill will begin at noon, an hour earlier than originally scheduled, to accommodate the Peoria Chiefs game later in the evening at O'Brien Field.