PEORIA, Ill. -- Senior Rachel Huggins (Mt. Zion, Ill./Mt. Zion) had a two-run double in the first inning and fellow senior Kathryn Spenn (Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville) highlighted a three-run fifth with a pinch hit, two-run homer to help Bradley to a 6-1 victory over Northern Iowa in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Laura Bradley Park.  The Panthers took the day's first game 9-0 to open the three-game Missouri Valley Conference series.

The Braves (13-19 overall, 7-4 MVC) struggled offensively in the first game, collecting just six hits off Northern Iowa starter Bailey Lange.  UNI (26-12, 5-5 MVC) slugged six doubles and a home run in the opener and broke open what was a 1-0 contest with three runs in the sixth.  Lange led off the top of the seventh with a solo home run and the Panthers tacked on five runs in the frame en route to the 9-0 series-opening victory.

After hitting 1-for-7 with two outs in the day's first game going 2-for-13 with runners on in the opener, Bradley's bats came alive in the nightcap.  Eleven of Bradley's 12 hits game with two outs (11-for-17) in the 6-1 second-game victory to salvage the split and the Braves were 8-for-15 with runners on in the victory. 

Northern Iowa got on the board early with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first of the second game to take a 1-0 lead.  The Braves were able to answer with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the first.  With runners at first and second after a walk and single, Huggins came inches away from tying the school season home record.  She had to settle for two-run double off the fence in right center as she gave Bradley a 2-1 advantage. 

The Braves added another run in the second after a two-out single by junior Kelly Kapp (Freeburg, Ill./Gibault Catholic) put runners at first and second with two outs.  Sophomore Elizabeth Leonard (Olathe, Kan./Olathe East) ripped a single through the right side to plate Duffy and give Bradley a 3-1 lead. 

Three consecutive two-out singles loaded the bases for the Braves in the third, but Northern Iowa was able to get out of the jam and the Panthers would threaten in the fifth.  A walk and two one-out singles in the top of the fifth loaded the bases for UNI and knocked Bradley starter Julie Kestas (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) out of the contest. 

Senior Dani Cowan (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad/Buffalo/Palomar J.C.) took over in the circle to get the second out of the inning at the plate on a fielder's choice and a fly out to end the inning. 

In the bottom of the fifth, senior Kendall Duffy (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) started a two-out rally with her team-best 11th double of the year.  Freshman Katie Habryle (Covington, Wash./Kentlake) drove in Duffy with a double of her own and Spenn followed with a two-out, pinch hit home run to extend Bradley's lead to 6-1.

Cowan worked around a one-out single in the sixth and Northern Iowa stranded a pair in the seventh as she earned her second save of the year.  Cowan tossed 2.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to help close out the victory for Kestas, who picked up her fourth win of the season. 

Duffy went 3-for-3 with two runs scored in the second game and was a combined 4-for-6 in the doubleheader.  The split helped Bradley stay in a tie with Wichita State for second in the MVC standings at 7-4. 

Sunday's series finale has been moved up to 10:30 a.m. at Laura Bradley Park due to the threat of inclement weather tomorrow afternoon.