PEORIA, Ill. - Consecutive home runs by Wichita State's Ryan Tinkham and Sam Hilliard in the third inning proved to be the difference as the Shockers (14-23, 6-4 MVC) earned a 5-3 win in the opening game of a Missouri Valley Conference weekend series at Bradley (24-10, 3-4) Friday night at Dozer Park.

Wichita State roughed up Bradley ace Elliot Ashbeck (7-3) for five runs on 11 hits in his 6.0 innings. Although Ashbeck matched his career-high with nine strikeouts, the 11 hits surrendered also were a career-high against the junior right hander.

Wichita State junior righty Isaac Anderson (4-5) earned the win, despite surrendering nine hits and three walks in 5.2 innings, but John Hayes shut down the Bradley offensive over the final 3.1 innings to earn his first career save. Hayes allowed only one Braves runner, a two-out walk to Tyler Leffler in the seventh inning, and struck out four.

After the Shockers plated a run in the first inning on a walk and two singles, the Braves had a chance to answer in the home half after Chris Godinez and Isaac Smith both singled to start the frame. Anderson bounced back with a pair of strikeouts and a ground ball, however, starting a trend as the Braves went on to strand 10 runners through the first six innings.

Wichita State pushed its advantage to 2-0 in the second when No. 9 hitter Trey Vickers came through with a 2-out RBI single and the Shockers completed their scoring in the third when Tinham hit his 2-run blast and Hilliard followed with a solo shot on the next pitch.

Bradley tried to chip away at the deficit, scoring single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings. Third baseman Spencer Gaa was 3-for-5 and got Bradley's scoring started with a RBI double in the third. Gaa also singled and scored on a Drew Carlile sacrifice fly in the fifth. Isaac Smith also finished 3-for-5, including an RBI single in the sixth to complete the scoring.

Game two in the weekend series is scheduled for a 1 p.m. game at Dozer Park. Junior right-hander Steve Adkins (4-2) will face Shockers sophomore righty Chase Williams (1-2).