CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Michael Giller belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth for the eventual game-winning run as Illinois (19-18) topped Bradley (12-24) 8-5 in non-conference action Tuesday night at Illinois Field. Giller finished Wednesday's game 3-for-4 with five runs batted in.

The Fighting Illini jumped on sophomore right-hander Jacob Booden (Vernon Hills, Ill./Libertyville H.S.) in the bottom of the first for three runs on four hits. Willie Argo led off the inning with a homerun to left field and Giller added a two-run double to make the score 3-0.

Bradley made it a 3-2 game in the second with a two-run blast by sophomore designated hitter Brad Kimball (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley H.S.). The homerun was Kimball's fifth of the season and third in the last two games. After a scoreless bottom half, the Braves used a two-out rally to tie the score in the top of the third. Junior outfielder Brian Martin (Glen Ellyn, Ill./College of DuPage/Lombard Montini Catholic H.S.) ripped a two-out double down the left field line and advanced to third on an error by the Fighting Illini left fielder. Senior catcher Kevin Sullivan (Elmhurst, Ill./Oakton J.C./York H.S.) followed with an RBI single through the left side to tie the score at 3-3.

A Bradley defensive miscue in the bottom of the third allowed Illinois to regain the lead, 4-3, while Giller's three-run bomb in the fourth put the Fighting Illini up 7-3. Illinois tacked on another run in the fifth on an RBI groundout to make the score 8-3. Two Fighting Illini errors in the top of the eighth helped the Braves plate two runs to make it a 8-5 game, but Illinois reliever Bryan Roberts pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the win for the home team, 8-5.

Sullivan and senior second baseman Matt Fritz (Northbrook, Ill./DePauw University/Glenbrook North H.S.) each had two hits to pace the Bradley offense, while Booden (3-3) took the loss, allowing seven runs on 10 hits in 4.0 innings of work.

The Braves will take on Northern Illinois tomorrow afternoon in DeKalb, Ill. at 3:30 p.m.