WICHITA, Kan. – Sophomore Kendall Duffy (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) slugged a grand slam and senior Madeline Lynch-Crumrine (Sedro-Woolley, Wash./Sedro-Woolley) pitched a complete game shutout to help power Bradley to a 5-0 win in the opening game of a doubleheader at Wichita State and the Braves were in line to complete a sweep before the Shockers rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull out a 6-5 victory in the nightcap.

Bradley (15-18 overall, 6-2 MVC) slugged four home runs in the doubleheader and matched the best start to Missouri Valley Conference play in school history with the 5-0 win in the opener.  The victory gave the Braves a 6-1 start to MVC play for the first time since 1984.

Lynch-Crumrine tossed a complete game shutout for the third time in five starts against Valley opponents, limiting Wichita State (19-12 overall, 6-2 MVC) to four singles, while striking out three and walking none to improve to 10-8 on the year with the win in the opener.

In the first game of the day, the Braves scored the only run they would need in the top of the third.  Junior Brittany Burgess (Utica, Ill./St. Bede) had a two-out single and a pair of walks loaded the bases for sophomore Kathryn Spenn (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville), who was hit by a pitch to plate Burgess and give Bradley a 1-0 lead. 

Spenn led off the sixth with a walk and the Braves loaded the bases again with singles by Lynch-Crumrine and senior Marina Groenewegen (Surrey, British Columbia/Elgin Park Secondary/Southern Idaho).  Duffy, who was 2-for-3 in the game, followed with a grand slam to push Bradley's advantage to 5-0. 

Wichita State went down in order in the sixth and couldn't capitalize on a leadoff single in the seventh as Bradley earned its sixth consecutive conference victory with the 5-0 win.

In the nightcap, Bradley belted three home runs, including two by junior Alyson Clemente (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley), and jumped out to a 5-1 lead.  The Braves held a 5-1 advantage heading to the bottom of the seventh when six WSU hits and one Bradley error helped the Shockers plate five runs to pull out the 6-5 victory.

Senior Brianne Joseph (Post Falls, Idaho/Post Falls) had a one-out walk in the top of the first and Spenn gave the Braves a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer to center.  Clemente added a solo home run later in the inning to push BU's lead to 3-0.

A Bradley error to open the bottom of the second helped lead to a Wichita State run as Casy Williams cut the Bradley advantage to 3-1 with a bases loaded walk later in the frame.

In the top of the third, Clemente followed a one-out double off the bat of Lynch-Crumrine with a two-run home run to center, pushing her team-high season RBI total to 22 and putting the Braves in front 5-1.

Freshman Jaelen Hull (Clifton, Ill./Bishop McNamara) pitched around leadoff hits to open the fourth and fifth, but Wichita State rallied for five runs in the seventh.  Williams had a one-out double and the Shockers scored a run after a BU error and Liz Broyles single.  Trailing 5-2 with one out, Wichita State loaded the bases with a single and Paige Mason drove in a run with a single to right center to trim the Bradley lead to 5-3 and chase Hull from the contest.  Brittany Fortner ripped a single through the right side to plate a pair of runs and tie the game at 5-5.  Melanie Jaegers completed the comeback for Wichita State with a RBI single to short as the Shockers rallied for the 6-5 win.

Hull dropped to 3-10 on the year with the loss.   Sloan Anderson earned the victory for Wichita State, tossing 6.1 innings out of the bullpen as she improved to 8-9 with the win.

After the doubleheader split, Bradley and Wichita State are tied for first atop the Valley standings at 6-2.  The teams will close out the three-game series Sunday with a single game at noon.