LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Freshman Erika Hansen (Fillmore, Calif./Moorpark) went 4-for-5 with three doubles and drove in six runs, while senior Alyson Spinas-Valainis (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption) earned the complete game victory as Bradley topped New Mexico State 10-8 Saturday night. 

Spinas-Valainis earned her first career victory, giving up eight runs (five earned) and striking out one in the first complete game effort of her career.

Bradley (2-7 overall) got on the board early, pushing three runs across in the top of the first.  The Braves had the bases loaded with two outs after a single and a pair of walks when Hansen ripped the first of three doubles to drive in three runs and give her team an early 3-0 advantage.

In the second, Bradley came up empty after loading the bases and New Mexico State (4-5 overall) score three runs to pull even at 3-3.  A BU error in the inning led to two runs as the Aggies pulled even after two innings.

A walk and Hansen double to open the third put runners at second and third for senior Shannon King (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty), who drove in both runners with a single up the middle to give Bradley a 5-3 lead. 

A solo homer in the bottom of the third pulled New Mexico State within a run at 5-4, but Bradley score two more runs in the top of the fifth.  With runners at first and second with one out after an error and walk, Hansen drove in her fourth run of the game with a single up the middle.  A hit batter loaded the bases and junior Kendall Duffy (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to put the Braves ahead 7-4.

New Mexico State pulled within a run at 7-6 with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Bradley answered with two runs in the top of the fifth.  Senior Brittany Burgess (Utica, Ill./St. Bede) led off the frame with a single and freshman Maria Schroeder (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) drew one of her four walks on the night with two outs.  Hansen came up big again with her third double of the night and drove in a pair to push the Bradley lead back to three runs (9-6). 

A Bradley error in the bottom of the fifth helped lead to another New Mexico State run as the Aggies pulled within two at 9-7.  Duffy led off the  Bradley half of the sixth with a double and came around to score on a double by sophomore Kelly Kapp (Freeburg, Ill./Gibault Catholic) to once again give Bradley a three-run advantage (10-7). 

New Mexico State was able to scratch out a run in the bottom of the seventh, before Spinas-Valainis was able to close out the 10-8 victory for the Braves. 

Spinas-Valainis improved to 1-2 on the year with her first career victory.  Dallas McBride took the loss for New Mexico State to drop to 1-3 on the year, giving up eight hits and seven runs in four innings of work.

Bradley closes out play at the Troy Cox Classic Sunday with a noon (CST) game against New Mexico State.