MACOMB, Ill. -- Bradley outhit Western Illinois 5-4, but Lauren Furgala hit a two-run single in the fifth to help the Leathernecks to a 4-2 victory Monday afternoon at McKee Stadium.   BU fell to 11-19 overall with the loss, while Western Illinois improved to 20-12 overall as the Leathernecks snapped a nine-game BU win streak in the series.

The Braves jumped out to an early lead, plating a run in the top of the first inning.  Freshman Taylor Cox (Loveland, Colo./Andover [Kan.]) opened the contest with a leadoff double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt.  Sophomore Julie Sherman (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) gave Bradley a 1-0 lead when she drove Cox in from third with a groundout.

Western Illinois tied things up with a run in the bottom of the second inning.  Furgala reached on a Bradley error to open the inning and the Leathernecks had runners at second and third after a walk and sacrifice bunt.  Furgala later scored on a wild pitch to tie the score at 1-1.

WIU pushed three more runs across in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Sandy Moore drew a one-out walk and Julie DePolo followed with a double down the left field line.  Michelle Prieto drove in Moore from third with a single to left.  After the Leathernecks loaded the bases, Furgala drove in what proved to be the winning runs with a two-run double to left center to give the Leathernecks a 4-1 lead. 

Bradley came up empty after a pair of hits in the sixth and managed to push a run across in the top of the seventh, before Western Illinois was able to close out the 4-2 win.  Junior Brittany Fairbairn (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East/Kankakee) ripped  a one-out triple down the right field line and scored on an RBI groundout by senior Janay Mitchell (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South), but that would be the only run the Braves would manage as Western Illinois picked up its first victory in the series since April 2003.

Senior Amanda Clack (Hillsboro, Mo./Hillsboro) took the loss in the circle for the Braves, going four and one-third innings in the start.  Clack gave up three hits and four earned runs while striking out one.  Kamren Ferguson picked up the win for Western Illinois, improving to 11-7 overall.  She struck out seven and walked none, while scattering five hits and two runs in the complete game effort.

Bradley returns to action Wednesday when the Braves host Northern Iowa in a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Laura Bradley Park.