PEORIA, Ill. -- Freshman Erika Hansen (Fillmore, Calif./Moorpark) drew a bases loaded walk in the seventh to pull Bradley within a run at 3-2, but Missouri State's Chelsea Jones took over in the circle for the Bears and retired the next two batters to end the threat as the Braves fell 3-2 Sunday afternoon to close out the three-game series at Laura Bradley Park.

Missouri State took advantage of several Bradley miscues in the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead.  The Bears scored a run in the top of the first on a wild pitch and two errors by the Braves in the top of the second helped lead to another MSU run.

Hansen led off the bottom half of the second with her team-best 12th double of the year and scored when sophomore Caitlyn McCarron (Dallas, Ore./Dallas) followed with a double of her own off the bottom of the fence in right center to drive in Hansen from second and cut the Missouri State lead in half at 2-1. 

Bradley, which left 10 runners on base in the game, stranded runners at third in both the second and third innings.  The Braves came up empty in the fifth after a single and error to open the frame put runners at second and third with no outs.  Missouri State starter Erin Struemph got a groundout, pop out and foul out as the Bears held a 2-1 lead heading to the sixth.

Senior Alyson Spinas-Valainis (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption) worked around a leadoff walk in the sixth and Bradley had another chance to score in the bottom half of the inning after Hansen and McCarron led off the inning with back-to-back singles.  The Braves, who left a total of seven runners in scoring position, were unable to push a run across in the inning, however.

Missouri State got an important insurance run in the seventh after Madison Jones led off the innings with a walk.  Jones moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and Hailee Vigneaux drove her in with a pinch hit single up the middle to give the Bears a 3-1 advantage.

Bradley tried to rally in the bottom half of the seventh, loading the bases with one out.  Senior Brittany Burgess (Utica, Ill./St. Bede) and sophomore Kelly Kapp (Freeburg, Ill./Gibault Catholic) had infield singles to open the inning.  The Kapp single extended her hit streak to a career-best 14 games.  Junior Kathryn Spenn (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville) drew a 10-pitch walk to load the bases and Hansen drew a walk to plate Burgess from third and pull the Braves within a run at 3-2.

Chelsea Jones took over in the circle for Missouri State and struck out the first batter she faced.  With two outs and the tying and game-winning runs both in scoring position, senior Shannon King (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) ripped a line drive, but Missouri State shortstop Erin Duewel was able to make a leaping grab to close out the 3-2 victory for the Bears.

Hansen was 2-for-3 with a double, walk, run and RBI, while McCaroon also had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-4.  Hansen's second inning double was her 12th of the year, which is the most by a Bradley player since 2005 and the sixth-best season total in school history.

Spinas-Valainis struck out six and scattered seven hits and three runs (two earned) in the complete game effort for Bradley.

The Braves will open a three-game series at Loyola next Saturday with a noon doubleheader in Chicago.