Box Score
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Bradley's season-long losing streak reached six games Tuesday when Eastern Illinois leftfielder David Ciaglia drove home Tyler Schweigert with an 8th-inning sacrifice fly, lifting the host Panthers (25-25) to a 4-3 win against the Braves (25-23-1) at Coaches Stadium.
Trailing 3-1 entering the eighth inning, Bradley pulled even consecutive, 2-out RBI singles by Jason Leblebijian and Bob Schuch, but the Panthers had the answer against Braves reliever Patrick Flanagan (2-3).
T.J. McManus greeted Flanagan with a leadoff double to start the home half of the eighth and Schweigert was inserted as a pinch-runner. Jacob Reese followed with a bunt single, leaving runners on the corners with no outs. After Ben Thoma fouled out, Ciaglia lifted a fly ball to centerfield to plate Schweigert with the go-ahead run.
Schuch, one of three Braves to go 2-for-4 Tuesday, also had an RBI single in the fourth inning to create a 1-1 tie. Leblebijian and catcher Derek Sprout also were 2-for-4 for the Braves.
Bradley will close out the regular-season by hosting Dallas Baptist for a 3-game series Thursday (6 p.m.), Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (1 p.m.) at O'Brien Field. Senior left-hander Joe Bircher (7-2) will be Bradley's starter for the series opener Thursday night.