SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Bradley scored the go-ahead run with an unearned run in the top of the sixth and the Braves got out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh to top Missouri State 5-4 and take the first Missouri Valley Conference series of the year two games to one, Thursday afternoon at Killian Stadium.

Bradley (11-17 overall, 2-1 MVC) held a 4-0 lead after a four-run third inning, but Missouri State (18-9 overall, 1-2 MVC) scored twice in the bottom half of the inning and tied it up at 4-4 with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Sophomore Kendall Duffy (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) had a one-out double and came around to score the game's first run on a Missouri State error after a Kelly Kapp (Freeburg, Ill./Gibault Catholic) bunt single.  With runners at first and second following a Mariah Cole (Springfield, Ill./Chatham Glenwood) single, senior Brianne Joseph (Post Falls, Idaho/Post Falls) ripped a two-run double to right center.  Joseph scored to make it 4-0 in favor of the Braves on a single by sophomore Kathryn Spenn (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville).
 
A two-out Bradley error in the bottom of the third helped lead to a pair of unearned runs for the Bears.  Ashley Brentz reached on an error and Missouri State loaded the bases with a single and walk.  Bethany Sullinger cut the BU lead in half with a two-out, two-run single down the right field line to trim the Braves' advantage to 4-2.
 
Stacia Boeckstiegel drew a walk to leadoff the Missouri State half of the fourth and scored on a double off the bat of Elena Gambill to pull Missouri State within a run at 4-3.  Brentz tied it up at 4-4 with a single to plate Gambill.
 
Bradley scored the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth after senior Alex Chandler (Needles, Calif./Needles) reached on a one-out error.  Chandler stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Duffy groundout to give the Braves a 5-4 lead.
 
Freshman Jaelen Hull (Clifton, Ill./Bishop McNamara) helped get Bradley out of a jam in the bottom of the sixth.  Missouri State had runners at first and second with one out after a single and walk, but Hull relieved BU starter Madeline Lynch-Crumrine (Sedro-Woolley, Wash./Sedro-Woolley) to strike out the first batter she faced and got Chelsea Jones to groundout to end the threat as the Braves took a one-run lead into the seventh.
 
Missouri State threatened again in the bottom of the seventh after loading the bases with a pair of hit batters and a walk.  Bradley's newest addition to the roster, junior Alyson Spinas-Valainis (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption), who joined the squad after concluding her collegiate basketball career last week, got out of the jam to earn her first career save.  With the bases loaded and two outs, Spinas-Valainis struck out the next hitter on four pitches and got Ali Trickey to pop out to close out the 5-4 victory for the Braves.

Lynch-Crumrine earned the victory for Bradley, striking out five to improve to 7-8 on the year.  Spinas-Valainis picked up her first career save in her second appearance of the year.  Jessie Van Es suffered the loss for Missouri State to even her record at 3-3. 

Cole was 2-for-4 with a run scored to help lead a Bradley offensive attack, which collected eight hits.  Junior Shannon King also had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-3 at the plate to help lead the Braves. 

Bradley opens a three-game series at Evansville Saturday with a noon doubleheader in Evansville, Ind.