WINTER HAVEN, Fla. ? Bradley used 18 hits to rally from a five-run deficit and force extra innings, but Bowling Green (5-9) scored the winning run in the 10th inning to hand the Braves (3-7) an 11-10 loss in the opening game of their Spring Break trip Saturday afternoon at Chain of Lakes Park.

Bradley came into the game batting just .244 through its first nine games, but its season-high 18 hits were not enough to overcome a rough start by senior right-hander Collin Brennan, who surrendered nine runs on nine hits in the first three innings.

Trailing 10-5 entering the top of the ninth, Bradley rocked Falcons reliever Charles Wooten for five runs to force the extra frame.  Tommy Fitzgerald and Grant Escue each collected their third hits of the day to lead off the ninth.  After a Nick Mitidiero fly ball moved Fitzgerald to third, Adam Kimble followed with an RBI double and Colby Luttrell tacked on a two-run single to pull the Braves to within 10-8.  A pair of mid-game replacements pulled Bradley even as catcher Kevin Sullivan drove home Luttrell with his first career triple and third baseman Rob Elliott came through with a sacrifice fly to forge the 10-10 tie.

Freshman hurler Joe Bircher (0-1) tossed an effective 6 2/3 innings in relief of Brennan, allowing only one unearned run, until the Falcons got to him in the 10th.  First baseman Tyler Elkins started the game-winning rally with a one-out double, then took third on a ground out and scored the walk-off run on Derek Spencer's base hit.

Bradley took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Escue followed Fitzgerald's leadoff single with his third home run of the season.  Brennan could not take advantage of the early offensive support, however, surrendering three earned runs in each of his three innings.

In addition to the 3-for-5 efforts by both Fitzgerald and Escue, catchers Brett Hendricks (2-for-2) and Sullivan (3-for-3) combined for a 5-for-5 effort in the sixth spot in the order.  Luttrell and Fritz, both hitting under .200 entering the trip to Florida after ranking as two of the top three hitters on the team last season, showed signs of warming up by each going 2-for-5.

The Braves will have an early start Sunday when they face a second straight Mid-American Conference opponent, Central Michigan, in a 9 a.m. start at Chain of Lakes Park.  The five-game trip will continue with a Monday contest against Jacksonville State, followed by an off day Tuesday and a pair of game Wednesday against Hartford and Eastern Illinois.