PEORIA, Ill. - Freshman outfielder Mike Tauchman (Palatine, Ill./William Fremd H.S.) belted his first career homerun in the bottom of the seventh to give Bradley a 10-9 lead, but Illinois countered with two runs on three hits in the eighth and silenced the Braves in the final two innings for an 11-10 victory Tuesday night at O'Brien Field. The two clubs combined for 21 runs on 28 hits, including 10 extra-base hits and three homeruns.

The Illini struck first in the top of the first with an RBI double by Michael Giller and a two-run homer by Brandon Hohl to take a 3-0 lead. Illinois added another run in the second, but Bradley answered with a two-run triple by freshman shortstop Jason Leblebijian (Arlington Heights, Ill./Prospect H.S.) in the bottom half and plated three runs on two hits in the third for a 5-4 edge.

Illinois regained the lead in the fourth with three two-out runs for a 7-5 advantage, but the Braves responded with three runs on four hits in the bottom half, including a bases-loaded double by senior catcher Kevin Sullivan (Elmhurst, Ill./Oakton J.C./York H.S.) and a sacrifice fly from senior first baseman Mike McMillan (Bloomington, Ill./Normal University H.S.), for an 8-7 lead.

The two teams traded runs in the fifth inning as Hohl tied the score at 8-8 with his second homerun of the game in the top half, while an Illinois defensive miscue in the bottom of the inning gave the Braves a one-run edge, 9-8. Pete Cappetta's two-out RBI double in the seventh knotted the game at 9-9, but Tauchman's solo blast to right field put the Braves back up by one, 10-9.

Illinois did all of its damage with two outs in the eighth, using a double and back-to-back single to plate the tying and eventual game-winning runs, 11-10. Illinois relievers Corey Kimes and Bryan Roberts held Bradley hitless in the final two innings to preserve the one-run victory, 11-10.

Junior outfielder Brian Martin (Glen Ellyn, Ill./College of DuPage/Lombard Montini Catholic H.S.) finished 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI, while Leblebijian and Tauchman each had two hits. Senior right-hander Brad Altbach (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North H.S.) took the loss on the mound for Bradley, allowing four earned runs on eight hits in 3.2 innings of relief work.

The Braves (6-17) will return to action Wednesday, April 7 in an exhibition game with the Peoria Chiefs at 6 p.m. at O'Brien Field.