FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Bradley trailed by one run (6-5) after the fifth inning, but a two-out grand slam in the top of the sixth inning helped Arkansas to a 10-5 victory over the Braves to wrap up the first day of play at the Razorback Invitational.
The Razorbacks (8-7 overall) scored four times in the top of the third inning to take a 4-0 lead. Jessica Bachkora, the younger sister of Bradley senior Alycia Bachkora (Overland Park, Kan./Notre Dame de Sion), led off the inning with a single for Arkansas and stole second. Whitney Cloer ripped a two-out double to left field to drive in Bachkora with the first run of the game and Cloer scored after a passed ball and RBI single by Sandra Smith. Kayla Johnson capped the inning with a two-run homer to center.
Bradley (6-5 overall) answered with two runs in the bottom half of the third. Junior Lindsay Watkins (Hopedale, Ill./Olympia/Parkland) got things started with a one-out single and moved to second on a passed ball. Junior Janay Mitchell (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) drew a base on balls and the Braves had runners at second and third after a sacrifice bunt. Junior Amanda Clack (Hillsboro, Mo./Hillsboro) drove both runners home with a single to right field to trim the Arkansas lead to 4-2.
The Braves pushed two more runs across in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at 4-4. Freshman Jackie Roth (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) reached on a dropped third strike to lead off the inning and advanced to third base on a one-out single off the bat of Lauren Kelly (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence). Sophomore Denise Jilka (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) drove home Roth with a single to left field and Jilka later scored after a stolen base and single up the middle by Mitchell.
Arkansas retook the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Smith drew a walk and Johnson also drew a one-out base on balls to put runners at first and second. Amie Hubbard put the Razorbacks back in front with a two-out, two-run double to left center to give Arkansas a 6-4 lead.
Bradley would get one run back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Clack led off the frame with a single and moved to third after a pair of sacrifice bunts. Bachkora drove in Clack with a groundout to cut the Razorback advantage to 6-5.
A 35-minute lightning delay following the bottom of the fifth inning was followed by a four-run frame by the Razorbacks. Tori Mort had a leadoff single and Miranda Dixon was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch and a walk loaded the bases with two outs, when Brittany Robinson broke the game open with a two-out grand slam to left field to put Arkansas in front 10-5.
The Braves managed two singles and a walk in the final two innings off Arkansas starter Miranda Dixon as the Razorbacks handed Bradley a 10-5 setback. Senior Ashley Birdsong (Otis, Ore./Taft) suffered the loss, giving up six hits, four walks and six earned runs in four and two-third innings of work. She is now 2-3 on the season. Mitchell went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI, while Clack was 2-for-4 with one run and two runs driven in to lead the Braves offensively.
Bradley returns to action Saturday with a 9 a.m. against Missouri Valley Conference rival Wichita State to open the second day of play at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.
