MACON, Ga. - Isaac Smith responded to his move up to the top of the lineup by going 3-for-4 with a home run and driving in a career-best four runs, leading Bradley (13-3) to an 8-5 win against Mercer (11-11) Sunday afternoon at Claude Smith Field.

The Braves won the series at Mercer, 2-games-to-1, in their first ever games against a current Southern Conference member to start their spring break trip through the Southeast.

A senior center fielder, Smith had hit in the No. 9 spot in the lineup in each of his first 12 games this season, but moved into the No. 2 slot Sunday and got the scoring started in the first by following Chris Godinez's leadoff double with a 2-run home run. Smith added RBI singles in the second and sixth innings. In between Smith's run-scoring singles, Paul Solka hit a 2-run home run and Ian Kristan added a solo shot in the third and Elliot Ashbeck added a fourth inning sacrifice fly.

Junior lefthander Cameron Roegner started strong on the mound for the Braves, but he was unable to get through the fifth inning. Roegner allowed only one run on one hit with six strikeouts in 4.2 innings, but five walks, including three in the fifth, ended his day before he could qualify for the win.

With Roegner's pitch count up to 99 and the the bases loaded, the Braves turned to closer Matt Dennis to shut the door in the fifth and Dennis responded with an inning-ending strikeout. Dennis held the Bears without a second hit until the eighth, when he surrendered a pair of home runs that allowed the hosts to creep witin 8-4. The Bears got another homer to leadoff the ninth, but Dennis (2-0) responsed with three straight strikeouts to nail down his second win of the year.

Smith's effort Sunday finished off a huge weekend effort: he ended the 3-game series against the Bears 8-for-11 (.727) with two home runs, seven RBI's and five runs scored. He also added a pair of assists on plays at the plate from his center field position.

Bradley will continue the rest of its spring break trip in Florida, where the Braves tentatively are scheduled to play in the RussMatt Basseball Central Florida Invitational Tuesday and Wednesday. Bradley will conclude the trip with three games at North Florida with a single game Friday at 5 p.m. CDT and a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon CDT.