MURRAY, Ky. -- After two pitching gems to open the season in a doubleheader sweep Saturday at Murray State, Bradley (2-1) got the bats going Sunday, but the 15-hit attack was not enough to prevent the host Thoroughbreds from rallying in the late innings for a 9-8 victory in the final game of the three-game series Sunday afternoon at Reagan Field.

Senior reliever Eitan Barbalat (Thornhill, Ontario/Westmount Collegiate Institute) worked out of jams in both the seventh and eighth innings, but after Bradley scored in the top of the ninth to forge an 8-8 tie, Barbalat (0-1) could not record an out in the ninth.  The ?Breds salvaged the series finale when shortstop Kyle Tiernan delivered an RBI double down the left field line.

All nine of Bradley's starting hitters collected at least one hit, led by designated hitter Jim Clayton's 3-for-5 performance.  Tommy Fitzgerald (2-4), Colby Luttrell (2-4), Dan Brewer (2-5) and Grant Escue (2-5) each rapped out two hits for the Braves.

Bradley appeared to take command when the Braves broke a 1-1 tie by plating six runs in the fourth inning.  The Braves did the majority of damage in the fourth with four consecutive base hits, including a 2-run triple from Escue.  Clayton later added an RBI single to give the Braves a 6-1 lead.

After starting strong in his Bradley debut, however, Lendsey Thomson (Springfield, Mo./Parkview H.S.), a transfer from Missouri, lost his composure in the bottom of the fourth, allowing the ?Breds to get back in the game.  Cory Hodskins started the home half with a triple to left center and immediately scored on an infield single by Wes Cunningham.  Thomson was ejected during Taylor Thieke's at bat that followed, forcing senior Chris Wright (Rochester, Ill./Rochester H.S.) into emergency relief.

Thieke greeted Wright with a double, and after striking out Tiernan, Wright walked Daniel Miller to load the bases.  Zach Noonan followed with a sacrifice fly and Blake Helm delivered an RBI double to pull Murray State within 7-4.

Wright settled down and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings before losing his control in the seventh.  After getting Helm to line out to open the seventh, Wright surrendered back-to-back walks and Brewer committed an error at third to load the bases with one out.  Michigan State transfer Spencer Hahn relieved Wright, but walked the first batter he faced, trimming Bradley's lead to 7-5.  Thieke followed with a sacrifice fly before Tiernan gave the ?Breds their first lead of the series, 8-7, with a 2-run double to left center.

The Braves pulled even in the ninth when Luttrell started the frame with a single, advanced to second on a Clayton ground out and scored on freshman catcher Kevin Sullivan's single up the middle.  Tyler Hall (1-0) entered as the fourth pitcher of the game for Murray State, however, and got the next two outs to keep the game tied, 8-8.

Bradley will return to the Bluegrass State next weekend for a four-game set at Eastern Kentucky.  The teams will play 11 a.m. (CT) doubleheaders both days.  Bradley is 5-0 all-time versus the Colonels, including a two-game sweep Feb. 26-27, 2005 in their only previous visit to Richmond, Ky.