CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Bradley senior pitching ace Brandon Magee (Sheboygan, Wis./North H.S.) tossed eight strong innings and Jason Newburger's first career grand slam led the Braves (10-11, 3-1) to a 9-6 victory in the first game of a 3-game Missouri Valley Conference weekend series at Southern Illinois (17-11, 2-2).

Magee (4-1), who began the week leading the Valley with 45 strikeouts, fanned eight Salukis and scattered seven hits before handing a 9-3 lead to the Braves bullpen to start the ninth.  After senior reliever Peter Elmer ran into trouble trying to close out the win, freshman Collin Brennan (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville H.S.) got the final two outs to earn his first career save.

Newburger, the senior first baseman from Vernon Hills, Ill. (Vernon Hills H.S.), enjoyed a career-best day at the plate.  Including his grand slam, Newburger went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.  After breaking a 1-1 tie in the seventh with his first home run of the season, Newburger helped set the table for Bradley's 4-run ninth-inning outburst with a one-out double to put runners at first and second.  The Braves broke the game open with three straight run-scoring singles by Brad Jones, Brock Luxmore and Ryan Curry and catcher Ryan Eigsti closed out the outburst with an RBI double.

In addition to Newburger, junior centerfielder Brad Jones (2-5) and freshman second baseman Dan Brewer (2-4) both collected multiple hits for the Braves.

The teams will return to action with a 2 p.m. game Saturday at Abe Martin Field and will conclude the series at one o'clock Sunday.  Senior Collin Walker is expected to start Saturday, with Brennan slated for Sunday's start.