NORMAL, Ill. - For the second day in a row, host Illinois State (22-14, 4-7 MVC) rode a big second inning to a lopsided win, downing Bradley (20-16-1, 5-7 MVC), 13-5, to earn a 2-games-to-1 series win Sunday afternoon at Duffy Bass Field.

The Redbirds roughed up a pair of Bradley pitchers - starter Patrick Flanagan (1-2) and reliever Rob Kennedy - for six runs on four hits, a walk, a hit-by-pitch and an error in the second inning and never looked back.  Ty Wiesemeyer delivered the inning's big blow with a 3-run triple. 

Wiesemeyer, who hit a grand slam in a 5-RBI performance Saturday, finished 2-for-4 with four runs batted in Sunday to pace Illinois State's 12-hit attack.

Bradley pulled within 8-4 in the top of the fourth, thanks in part to a Bob Schuch 2-run home run, but the Redbirds answered with one in the home half of the inning, then broke the game open with a 4-run outburst in the seventh.  The first three of those runs came courtesy of the first home run allowed this season by Braves reliver Jacob Booden, who had allowed only three earned runs in 18 appearances this season.

The Braves will try to regroup with a pair of midweek non-conference games at O'Brien Field, where Bradley will host Iowa Tuesday night and Northern Illinois Wednesday evening.  Both games will begin at 6 o'clock.  The Braves will return to The Valley road next weekend, visiting Evansville for a 3-game set.

NOTES:  Freshman center fielder Max Murphy was 2-for-4 with an RBI triple and a solo home run, extending his hitting streak to 10 games ... Murphy, who has been on base in every game this season, boasts two double-digit hitting streaks this yearand now leads the Braves with eight home runs.