LAKE CHARLES, La. - Bradley starter Elliot Ashbeck allowed only three baserunners in 8.0 innings and closer Matt Dennis threw a perfect ninth to complete a 1-hitter, leading the Braves (3-1) to a 5-0 win at McNeese State (3-2) in the opening game of a weekend series at Cowboy Diamond.

Ashbeck (2-0) retired the first 11 hitters he faced before allowing a 2-out double in the bottom of the fourth. He recovered with an inning-ending strikeout, then worked around a leadoff error in the sixth and a 1-out walk in the seventh, before retiring the final five batters he faced.

The Braves got all the offense they needed in the second inning when catcher Zach Fairchild doubled home the first run, then scored on Evan Gruener's single up the middle. Fairchild legged out a bases loaded, fielder's choice ground out to push the lead to 3-0 in the sixth.

Although his 11-game hitting streak came to an end, shortstop Tyler Leffler added sacrifice flies in the seventh and the ninth innings to give the Braves some insurance. Third baseman Spencer Gaa legged out a hustle double in the first and a bunt single in the seventh to pace Bradley's 7-hit attack, but he became the third starter to come out of a game due to injury (hamstring) in the first four games of the season.

The teams will continue their weather-altered series Saturday with an 11 a.m. game at Cowboy Diamond. Junior righthander Steve Adkins is slated to take the mound for the Braves.