Bradley 2, at Southern Illinois 1

CARBONDALE, IL - Bradley pitching dominated for the third straight game and Zach Fairchild's bloop single in the 9th proved to be the difference as the Braves (27-19, 11-9 MVC) completed a series sweep at Southern Illinois with a 2-1 victory Saturday afternoon at Richard "Itchy" Jones Stadium.

Bradley allowed just one run in each of the three games to earn its first Missouri Valley Conference series sweep since taking three home games from Missouri State in 2010 and its first road Valley series sweep since its 2008 visit to Southern Illinois. The three runs allowed in the series, including just one by starters Matt Dennis, Cameron Roegner and Brent Stong in 18.0 combined innings, were the fewest the Braves have allowed in a Valley series of at least three games since 1967 (Louisville, one run in three games - Creighton scored one run in an abbreviated, 2-game series in 1984).  Including the era of 4-game MVC series, Bradley had not allowed as few as three runs in three consecutive games against the same league opponent since coupling two shutouts with a 7-2 victory in the final three games of the 1991 home series against the Salukis.

By sweeping the series, Bradley overtook Southern Illinois in the final league standings and the Braves will be the No. 3 seed in next week's Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Championship. The Braves will open the tournament Wednesday against No. 6 seed Wichita State. The 11 league wins are the most for Bradley since 2007 (13-11).

A senior lefty, Stong improved to 2-1 and lowered his season ERA to 2.05 by scattering five hits and striking out four in his 6.0 innings. After freshman RHP Ben Cilano walked two in the seventh, freshman LHP Ben Olson got the next four outs, before turning the game over to sophomore closer Allan Beer in the ninth. Beer gave up a leadoff home run in the ninth and the Salukis put the tying run on base by following with a single. Beer then worked out of a controversial situation when the Salukis leadoff hitter Tyler Kopach was ruled safe for avoiding the tag by first baseman Paul Solka on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Kopach appeared to run out of the baseline to avoid the tag, but after a meeting by the umpires, he was ruled safe.

With two on and no outs, Beer induced a popped up bunt attempt, an infield pop up and a fly out to right field to end the game for his team-leading sixth save.

The Braves, who never trailed in the series, broke through for the game's first run in the sixth inning, when Luke Mangieri led off with a double, advanced to third on a deep fly ball to centerfield by Spencer Gaa and scored on Tyler Leffler's sacrifice fly.

Bradley picked up the necessary insurance run in the ninth after Solka opened the inning with a double. He was erased on a bunt attempt by Evan Gruener, but Andy Shadid put Gruener in scoring position with a successfull sacfifice and he scored when Fairchild followed with a ball that fell between the SIU shortstop and left fielder in shallow left.

Indiana State will be the host for the 2016 MVC Baseball Championship and the Sycamores will be the No. 2 seed. The eight league schools will play in two pools with the two pool champions meeting for the winner-take-all title game Saturday. Bradley's pool will include the second-seeded Sycamores, No. 6 seed Wichita State and No. 7 seed Missouri State.