PEORIA, Ill. -- Freshman Jaelen Hull (Clifton, Ill./Bishop McNamara) tossed her first career complete game shutout to highlight a 1-0 victory against pre-season Missouri Valley Conference favorite Northern Iowa, as Bradley split a doubleheader against the Panthers Saturday at Laura Bradley Park.  The Braves maintained a half-game lead on UNI, which won the day's first game 2-1, for fourth in the MVC standings.

Hull had her best outing of the year, throwing a complete game, five-hit shutout in the second game of the day.  Bradley (22-27 overall, 13-10 MVC), which entered the day with a half-game lead on Northern Iowa (25-17 overall, 12-10 MVC) in the league standings, moved back into fourth in the standings with the victory after the Panthers briefly took over possession of fourth-place in the Valley with the 2-1 victory in the opener. 

The Braves picked up their school season record 13th conference victory of the year.  Hull (5-12 overall) struck out one and walked none in the complete game win and didn't allow the Panthers to advance past second base. 

In the nightcap, Bradley left a pair of runners in scoring position in the third, before scoring the only run of the contest in the bottom of the fourth.  Sophomore Kathryn Spenn (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville) led off the inning with a double and pinch runner Brittany Burgess (Utica, Ill./St. Bede) moved to third with a one-out single by Alex Chandler (Needles, Calif./Needles).  Burgess scored from third on a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Kendall Duffy (Naperville, Ill. Benet Academy) to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

Hull scattered three hits through the first four frames and retired UNI in order in the fifth to carry the shutout bid into the sixth.  The Panthers were unable to get on the scoreboard in the sixth after a one-out Julia Hunter double and Hull pitched around a Rikki Alcaraz single to lead off the seventh to close out the 1-0 victory.

Senior Madeline Lynch-Crumrine (Sedro-Woolley, Wash./Sedro-Woolley) turned in a strong performance for Bradley in the circle in the opener, holding UNI to just four hits.  The Panthers were able to strike for a pair of early runs, however, with Alcaraz following a two-out hit batter  with a two-run homer to right center in the top of the first to put Northern Iowa in front 2-0.

Lynch-Crumrine led off the bottom of the second with a double and Bradley loaded the bases to open the inning with a single and walk.  Duffy, who drove in a pair of runs on the day, drew a bases loaded walk to trim the UNI lead to 2-1, but the Panthers were able to get out of the jam.  With the bases loaded and no outs, Northern Iowa turned a double play on a line drive to third and got out of the inning without any further damage. 

UNI left the bases loaded in both the fourth and fifth, while Bradley managed just two hits off Panther hurler Jamie Fisher in the final four innings as she helped power her team to a 2-1 win.  Fisher, who improved to 15-11 on the season with the win, struck out seven and walked four.  Lynch-Crumrine gave up just four hits and two runs in the setback as she struck out five and walked six to fall to 15-14.

Bradley and Northern Iowa close out the three-game series Sunday with a single game at Laura Bradley Park.  A ceremony recognizing Bradley's six seniors will be held prior to the 11 a.m. game, which will be the final home game of the year for the Braves.