CHARLESTON, Ill. ? The first four hitters in the Bradley lineup combined to go 11-for-20 with 10 runs batted in, leading the Braves (14-21) to a 15-8 non-conference baseball victory at Eastern Illinois (28-9) Wednesday afternoon at Coaches Stadium.

The Braves pounded out a season-best four home runs in the game, including a go-ahead 3-run blast by Grant Escue followed by a grand slam by Tommy Fitzgerald to highlight a 9-run seventh inning. 

Matt Fritz led off the game with his second homer run of the year and Nick Mitidiero added a second shot with one out in the first to give the Braves a quick 2-0 lead.

Three Bradley pitchers cruised through the first four innings and the Braves led 4-1 heading into the home half of the fifth.  Eastern Illinois rallied for six unearned runs in the fifth against Bradley's fourth and fifth pitchers, Brandon Stevens and Tyler Thornton.

Thornton (2-4) eventually worked out of the bases-loaded jam in the fifth, then worked a scoreless sixth and earned the win when the Braves exploded in the seventh.  Fitzgerald started the big inning with a one-out single, the first of eight consecutive Braves to reach safely.  Following consecutive singles by Mitidiero and Adam Kimble, Escue drilled his 3-run homer to put the Braves in front, 8-7.  The rally continued when Brad Kimball and pinch-hitter Brett Hendricks drew back-to-back walks.  Mike McMillan singled to load the bases and Jordan Colvin made it 9-7 with another single to chase Panthers pitcher Jordan Kreke (1-1).

After Fritz popped out, Fitzgerald broke the game open by clearing the bases with his fourth home run of the year.  The senior shortstop added some insurance in the ninth by plating Fritz with an RBI double and scoring on Kimble's single up the middle.

Fitzgerald finished the game 3-for-6 with four runs scored and a career-best five runs batted in.  Mitidiero and Kimble both finished 3-for-5 with two RBI's and Fritz was 2-for-4 with two walks and two runs scored.

Bradley resumes its Missouri Valley Conference schedule by visiting Creighton for a three-game set.  Friday's 6:30 p.m. series opener will be played at Omaha's Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the College World Series.  The remaining two games will be played Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) at the Creighton Sports Complex.