EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- Junior Madeline Lynch-Crumrine tossed her second consecutive complete game shutout to help Bradley top Wichita State 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for the Braves, but the Shockers rebounded for a 2-0 win in the second game as the teams split a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field.

Bradley (16-12 overall, 1-1 MVC) had last week's MVC opener against Illinois State postponed due to poor field conditions and the weekend series against Wichita State (12-15 overall, 3-2 MVC) was slated to be the home opener for the Braves.  Poor field conditions forced the teams to shorten the series to two games, however, and move Saturday's games to SIU Edwardsville.

Lynch-Crumrine limited the Shockers to just three hits and threw a complete game shutout for the third time in her last four outings Saturday in the opening game.  Bradley got the only runs it would need in bottom of the second after junior Alex Chandler (Needles, Calif./Needles) led off the inning with a walk.  Freshman Kendall Duffy (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) drove in Chandler with a double to center and Duffy scored to put the Braves in front 2-0 on a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Shannon King (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty). 

Wichita State managed just one hit off Lynch-Crumrine in the first four innings as she cruised to her team-leading ninth victory of the year (9-6).  Bradley left the bases loaded in the fourth and stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the fifth, but Shocker hurler Katie Armagost got out of both jams without allowing a run.  Lynch-Crumrine struck out three and walked one, while allowing just one runner to reach third base.

Both teams struggled offensively early in the second game, with Alyson Clemente (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley) accounting for the only hit in the first three innings after collecting a two-out single in the bottom of the first.

The Shockers were able to scratch out a run in the top of the fourth to take a 1-0 lead and snap a streak of 21 consecutive innings without giving up a run for Bradley pitchers.  Danika Miller walked to lead off the Wichita State fourth and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and passed ball.  She later scored on a groundout. 

Bradley loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth with three consecutive one-out singles, but Sloan Anderson got the next batter to fly out and center fielder Kaitlyn Carey threw out a Bradley runner at third base attempting to tag up to end the inning.

The Shockers added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a BU error and Anderson retired the Braves in order in the bottom half of the inning as Wichita State salvaged the split with the 2-0 victory in the night cap. 

Senior Mackenzie Camp (Mapleton, Ill./Limestone) was the hard-luck loser in the second game, falling to 7-5 on the year with the setback.  Camp, who notched her 200th career strikeout in the game, fanned three and gave up two runs (one earned) and five hits in the complete game effort.  

Bradley is scheduled to host Indiana State in a three-game series next weekend, beginning with a 2 p.m. doubleheader Friday at Laura Bradley Park.