PEORIA, Ill. -- Sophomore Kathryn Spenn (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville) delivered a RBI pinch hit single in the sixth and senior Madeline Lynch-Crumrine (Sedro-Woolley, Wash./Sedro-Woolley) tossed a three-hit shutout as Bradley defeated I-74 rival Illinois State 1-0 in the opener of a doubleheader, before the Redbirds salvaged a split with an 11-2 win in the nightcap Wednesday afternoon at Laura Bradley Park.

Spenn had a big day, driving in the game-winning run in the opener and belting a pinch hit solo homer in the nightcap to help highlight a 3-for-3 day at the plate, which also include a double off the top of the fence in the second game.

Lynch-Crumrine was dominant in the opener, striking out four and walking three in the complete game shutout for her fourth shutout in Missouri Valley Conference play this season.  Bradley (19-24 overall, 10-7 MVC) did not manage a base runner off Illinois State (17-24 overall, 8-5 MVC) starter Regan Romshek until a single to open the fifth.

The Redbirds had their own offensive struggles, however, collecting just one hit off Lynch-Crumine and the Braves in the first six frames.  Bradley broke through for three hits off Romshek in the sixth.  Sophomore Kendall Duffy (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) led off the BU half of the sixth with a single and the Braves had runners at first and third with one out after a Brianne Joseph (Post Falls, Idaho/Post Falls) single.

Spenn, who now has a Missouri Valley Conference leading seven pinch hits this season, came off the bench and ripped a single just inside the third base bag to plate Duffy with the only run of the game.  Bradley turned a double play in the top of the seventh after a leadoff single and Lynch-Crumrine closed out the 1-0 victory as the Braves snapped an 11-game losing streak in the series with the Redbirds with the win.

After struggling offensively in the first game, Illinois State collected 10 hits and 11 walks in the second game.  Bradley didn't do itself any favors and committed three errors in an 11-2 setback. 

The Redbirds, who stranded 16 runners in the second contest, benefitted from a BU error in the first to score a run and added two more runs in the second inning on a two-run Romshek single to build a 3-0 lead.

The Braves got one run back in the bottom of the third on a RBI double to right center by senior Marina Groenewegen (Surrey, British Columbia/Elgin Park Secondary/Southern Idaho) and Spenn belted her team-best sixth home run of the spring with a pinch-hit solo shot in the fourth to cut the ISU lead to 3-2.  Three of Spenn's six home runs this year have come as a pinch hitter.

Spenn's homer knocked Illinois State starter Taylor Baxter from the game and Romsheck returned to the circle to limit the Braves to just two hits in 3.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.  The Redbirds broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning which started with an error, two walks and back-to-back singles.  Illinois State added another four runs in the seventh en route to the 11-2 victory.

Lynch-Crumrine took both decisions in the circle for Bradley to push her season record to 13-12.  Romsheck also earned both decisions for Illinois State and stands at 11-14 on the year after the victory and loss.  The split left the Braves (10-7) in third in the league standings, a half-game ahead of fourth-place Northern Iowa (9-7) and right behind second-place Illinois State (9-5). 

Bradley opens a three-game series at Indiana State Friday with a 1 p.m. (CDT) doubleheader in Terre Haute, Ind.