Bradley 8, at Chicago State 3
 
CHICAGO, IL – Eight was the theme for Bradley Baseball Wednesday.  Sparked by six hits in eight at-bats by the Shadid brothers, the Braves (25-9) won their eighth consecutive game with an 8-3 decision against host Chicago State (7-31) at Cougar Stadium.
 
Bradley's eighth straight win overall also came in its eighth straight win against in-state competition and in its eighth consecutive road win against teams from Illinois.
 
Coming off Tuesday's 11-inning win at Illinois, the Braves got off to a slow start Wednesday, falling behind, 2-0, in the second inning when Chicago State touched Bradley starter Ben Cilano for a double, home run and double in consecutive at bats to open the frame.  Chicago State took the wind out of its own sails by laying down a sacrifice bunt after the third consecutive extra-base hit and Cilano got the next two batters to pop out to end the rally.
 
Luke Shadid got Bradley's scoring started by launching a solo home run with one out in the third and his sacrifice bunt helped position the Braves for the tying run in the fifth.  Catcher Kyle Antos opened the fifth with a single, took second on Shadid's bunt and third on a Luke Mangieri ground out before scoring on a wild pitch to forge a 2-2 tie.
 
Andy Shadid got in on the act in the sixth inning, delivering the go ahead blow by following Derek Bangert's leadoff double with a 1-out, RBI double for a 4-3 lead.  Eli Rawlinson made it three doubles in the inning, driving home what proved to be the deciding run, plating Shadid with the first of his two doubles of the day.  Luke Shadid's second hit, a RBI single to score Dan Bolt, pushed the lead to 5-2.
 
Both Shadids singled in a 3-run eighth inning that broke the game open.  Rawlinson highlighted the inning with a 2-run double and Luke Shadid's third RBI completed the scoring.  Each Shadid brother finished the day 3-for-4 with a sacrifice:  Andy doubled and scored twice, while Luke homered, drove in three and stole his 10th base of the season.
 
Freshman left-hander Brooks Gosswein (2-1) earned the win by working 4.0 scoreless innings in relief of Cilano.  Gosswein allowed three hits, walked one and struck out two.  Ryan Hodgett worked a scoreless eighth inning and Sunday starter Sam Lund allowed the game's final run on three hits in the ninth.
 
The Braves will return to action this weekend with a showdown against Missouri Valley Conference power Missouri State.  The teams will enter the 3-game weekend series at Dozer Park separated by just one game atop The Valley standings – Missouri State is first with an 8-1 league record, followed closely by Bradley at 7-2.  The series will open with a 6 p.m. game Friday in downtown Peoria.
 
Bradley Baseball single-game tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for youth (K-8th grade) and $12 for Dozer Park suite access.  A $14 family pass also is available, providing general admission for two adults and two children.  Admission is free for Bradley University students, faculty and staff, as well as active members of the military and their immediate family, all with valid identification.