NORMAL, Ill. – Top-seeded Illinois State (37-18) got multiple hits from six different hitters and cruised to an 11-1 victory versus eighth-seeded Bradley (17-31) in the final game of the first round of the 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Championship Tuesday night at Duffy Bass Field.

Illinois State banged out 16 hits against four Bradley hurlers, who also combined to walk 10 and hit two.

Bradley starter John Nasshan (2-8) did not make it out of the first inning by allowing two runs on four walks, an RBI single and a run-scoring wild pitch.  After going to a 2-0 count on the eighth batter he faced in the inning, Nasshan was pulled for freshman lefty Cameron Roegner, who got out of a bases-loaded, 2-outs jam with a pop out.

Though Bradley had a chance to break through early against Illinois State starter Chris Razo (8-1), the MVC Pitcher of the Year, the Braves managed just one second-inning run.  Both Mike Tauchman and Max Murphy singled in the first, but Tauchman was thrown out trying to steal for just the second time in 30 tries this season in between the two base hits. 

Bradley's first three batters in the second reached on a hit-by-pitch, walk and RBI single from Paul Solka, but Elliot Ashbeck was thrown out at the plate on the Solka's hit and Razo got a pair of strikeouts to limit the damage.  Solka also followed Ashbeck's 1-out walk in the fourth with his second base hit of the game, but Austin Jarvis hit into an inning-ending double play and the Braves did not muster another hit the rest of the night.

Meanwhile, the Redbirds got some separation with two runs in the fourth, then broke the game open with a 5-run sixth inning.  After loading the bases with one out in the eighth, Illinois State brought the game to an early end when Eric Aguilera drew a run-scoring walk and Kyle Stanton singled to left.

Bradley will play Evansville in a 12:37 p.m elimination game Wednesday, while Illinois State advances to a winners bracket game at 7:37 p.m. versus Missouri State.  Freshman LHP Brent Stong (4-3) will get the starting nod on the mound for Bradley.  Stong earned a relief victory against the Purple Aces March 31 at Dozer Park to salvage the final game in their league-opening series.  All games during the first four days of the 2013 MVC Baseball Championship are available for viewing online through WatchESPN.