PEORIA, Ill. -- Drake pounded out 18 hits and scored 16 runs on the day as the Bulldogs defeated Bradley 8-0 and 8-3 Sunday to complete a three-game sweep of the Braves in Missouri Valley Conference softball action Sunday at Laura Bradley Park. The Braves managed two hits in the opener and committed five errors in the nightcap, as they fell to 12-29 overall and 3-17 in Valley play.

Junior Joanna Pettit extended her hitting streak to six games, going 1-for-2 in the opener but had her streak snapped in the second game as she went 0-for-3 in the nightcap.

Drake (24-18 overall, 11-9 MVC) belted out 12 hits in the opener as the Bulldogs rolled to an 8-0 five-inning win against the Braves. The Bulldogs took an early 7-0 lead, scoring one run in the first and three runs in both the second and third innings. Drake had two doubles a home run and four stolen bases in the opener and limited Bradley to two singles.

Katie Wappler helped highlight Drake's offensive efforts, going 3-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run scored, while Emily Hajduk and Marilyn Buss both went 2-for-2 with two RBI in the opener.

With Drake leading 7-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth inning, Jaci Faidley ended the game with a lead off home run to left center to give the Bulldogs the 8-0 win. Jessica Hicks pitched three innings in the start, giving up one hit and striking out five. Cristen Slings pitched the final two innings, giving up one hit and striking out three.

Freshman Molly Bergeson suffered the loss for the Braves as she fell to 1-7 on the year. Bergeson gave up seven hits and six earned runs in two and one-third innings of work.

Errors proved costly in the nightcap, as Drake scored four unearned runs on five Bradley errors and also drew three walks in an 8-3 Bulldogs victory.

Drake tallied four hits in the top of the first and the first of five Bradley errors helped lead to a four-run inning for the Bulldogs.

Three Bradley errors in the fifth inning led to three unearned runs for Drake. Wilkin reached safely on an error to lead off the inning and Katie Wappler followed with a triple to left center. The Braves committed an error on a Cook bunt to put runners at the corners. A walk loaded the bases and Hajduk hit a fly ball to center field to score Wappler. With two outs and runners on first and third, Bradley committed its third error of the inning, allowing Cook to score as the Bulldogs took a 7-0 lead.

Bradley scored its first run of the weekend in the bottom of the fifth inning. Bergeson was on second base with one out after reaching on a fielder's choice and stealing second. Kowalewski drew a walk and the Braves loaded the bases when everyone advanced safely on a fielder's choice. Bergeson scored on a ground ball hit by Pettit to second base as Bradley cut Drake's lead to 7-1.

The Braves added two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Bradley had the bases loaded with two outs when Kowalewski drew a base on balls to score Christine Cooney. Bradford also drew a bases loaded walk, before Drake managed to escape the inning without any further damage.

Hajduk added an RBI double in Drake's half of the seventh inning to drive in her sixth run of the weekend and extend the Bulldogs' lead to 8-3.

Junior Brittany Dehler settled down after the rough first inning, giving up just two hits and four runs (three unearned) in the final six innings of the contest. Dehler took the loss, however, falling to 8-15 on the year as she struck out five and walked three in the complete game loss.

Bradley returns to action Tuesday when the Braves play a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Eastern Illinois in Charleston, Ill.