PEORIA, Ill. -- Freshman Allison Apke collected a double, home run and three RBI off the bench, but Wichita State tallied 20 hits and took advantage of four Bradley errors as the Shockers topped the Braves 7-5 and 10-1 to open a three-game series Saturday afternoon at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.
 
In the opener, defending Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Wichita State (22-13 overall, 8-3 MVC) jumped out to a 6-0 lead.  A bases loaded walk, two-run single by Mauriana Jamele, two-run triple off the bat of Macklin Hitz and RBI single by Ashley Johnson highlighted a six-run first for the Shockers.
 
Bradley (18-20 overall, 4-7 MVC) got two runs back in the bottom of the second.  Sophomore Katie Habryle led off the frame with a double to right center and came around to score on a Wichita State error on Elizabeth Leonard's single.  Leonard scored later scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Megan Mahaffy to cut the Shocker lead to 6-2. 
 
Wichita State took advantage of a Bradley error in the third to add a run as the Shockers lead stood at 7-2 heading to the fifth.  Mahaffy, who took over with two outs in the first in the circle for the Braves, got out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth and Wichita State stranded two more runners in the sixth. 
 
Apke hit a solo homer to right field in the sixth as Bradley pulled within four at 7-3 and she had a big hit in the seventh.  After Wichita State stranded two more runners in the top of the seventh, the Braves tried to mount a two-out rally in the bottom half.  Freshman Kealia Wysocki led off the frame with a single and Bradley had runners at the corners following a two-out, 13-pitch single by senior Caitlyn McCarron.  Apke drove in both base runners with a double down the left field line.
 
Bradley trailed 7-5 when Leonard kept the rally alive with a two-out infield single and the Braves had the winning run at the plate.  Wichita State hurler Katie Malone got a strikeout to end the game, however, as she improved to 19-8 on the season.  Mahaffy gave up one unearned run in 6.1 innings out of the bullpen for the Braves. 
 
The nightcap saw the first three Wichita State hitters reach base to open the contest as the Shockers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a two-run double by Madison Perrigan.  A pair of Bradley errors in the top of the second led to five unearned Wichita State runs with the Shockers building a 7-0 advantage. 
 
The Braves left a runner in scoring position in the second and stranded a pair in the third.  Leonard, who had three hits on the day, led off the Bradley half of the fourth with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch.  After moving to third on a groundout, Leonard raced home from third on another wild pitch as the Braves cut the deficit to 7-1. 
 
A three-run fifth for Wichita State put the game out of reach.  Jamele opened the scoring in the inning with a RBI triple and came home on a Laurie Derrico single.  Bradley's third error of the contest allowed another run. 
 
Senior Kelly Kapp had a one-out single in the bottom of the fifth for her third hit of the game, but Wichita State pitcher Jenni Brooks closed out the 10-1 Shocker win with a flyout and popout.  Kapp's fifth-inning single was her 215^th career hit to move her into a tie with Alicia Garza of Southern Illinois for 18^th in MVC history. 
 
Bradley and Wichita State will conclude the three-game series Sunday with a single game at 11 a.m. at Petersen Hotels Field.