DeKALB, Ill. - Bradley second baseman Jerrod Eigsti was 2-for-4 with a run batted in and third baseman Rob Elliott extended his hitting streak to 12 games, but it was not enough to prevent Northern Illinois from pulling away for an 8-5 college baseball victory Wednesday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field.

Despite the loss, Bradley will take an 18-9 record into Friday's Missouri Valley Conference opener at Indiana State and the 18 wins are the most for the Braves prior to their conference opener since 1989 (20).

Bradley took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Brian Martin drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a Mike Tauchman ground out and scored on a 2-out single by Brad Kimball.  The Huskies roughed up Bradley starter Eric Holmes (2-1) with three runs in the first inning, however, and the Braves never reclaimed the lead.

Trailing 8-2 after six innings, Bradley tried to rally late, but could not climb all the way back.  Elliott reached on an error with one out in the seventh, swiped his 13th base of the season, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on an Eigsti single.

Benefitting from three walks, an error and a wild pitch, the Braves scored two more in the eighth to pull within 8-5 and had the bases loaded with one out, but could not get any closer.

Elliott extended his hitting streak to a team season-best 12 games with a fifth inning double.