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12
Winner Bradley BRAD 23-10
8
Illinois ILL 22-13
Winner
Bradley BRAD
23-10
12
Final
8
Illinois ILL
22-13
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Bradley BRAD 0 1 4 2 0 0 1 4 0 12 9 0
Illinois ILL 3 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 8 13 0

W: Hodgett, Ryan (1-0) L: Harris, Josh (2-2)

2019 Baseball Final at Illinois

Baseball Bombs Illinois, 12-8, for 11th Straight Win

Braves belt six home runs to extend the nation's longest active winning streak

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Game Recap: Baseball | | Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications
CHAMPAIGN, IL – Bradley (23-10) launched six home runs for just the seventh time in program history to extend the nation's longest active winning streak to 11 games with a 12-8 victory against Illinois (22-13) Tuesday night at Illinois Field.
 
The middle of Bradley's order did the majority of the damage as hitters No. 2-5 combined to collect all of the team's nine hits and drive in all 12 runs.  Brendan Dougherty was 3-for-5 with a double and a home run, Jean-Francois Garon was 1-for-4 with a 3-run homer, Dan Bolt was 3-for-5 with two home runs and a ground rule double and first baseman Connor O'Brien was 2-for-4 with two homers.  O'Brien's first home run of the night pulled the Braves into an 8-8 tie in the seventh inning and his 3-run blast in the eighth completed the scoring.  Just before O'Brien's second homer, Bolt delivered a go-ahead, RBI ground rule double.  
Bradley's six home runs equaled the fourth-best single-game total in program history and were the most by the Braves against a NCAA Division I opponent since also leaving the park six times in the second game of a double header April 15, 2001 at Missouri State.  The only other games against D1 competition Bradley hit six home runs came April 8, 1998 at Illinois State and a home game during the 1956 season against Detroit, when the Braves hit seven homers.  
The Braves entered the game leading the nation in earned run average, but starter Jed Moscot surrendered four runs in 2.0 innings and third pitcher Ben Cilano allowed four runs on five hits in just one-third of an inning to cap a wild opening four innings.  The Illini scored eight runs on 10 hits in the first four innings.
 
Reliable all season, Bradley's deep bullpen took control in the heart of the game, however, as the final five Bradley pitchers kept the Illini off the board over the final five innings, allowing just three hits and one walk.  Senior RHP Brian Schrimmer settled things down by getting the final two outs of the wild fourth inning, then worked a scoreless fifth.  Working a scoreless seventh inning, junior RHP Ryan Hodgett earned the win.
 
Bradley's 11-game winning streak is the longest active streak in the nation and equals the fifth-longest win streak in program history.  The Braves had not won 11 in a row since a 12-game streak March 19-April 7, 1993.
 
The Braves will try to match that 12-game ride from 26 years ago when they open a 3-game Missouri Valley Conference series Friday night at Dallas Baptist.
 
Notes:  Bradley improved to 11-0 against in-state competition this season and 40-15 versus Illinois' NCAA Division I state institutions since the start of the 2014 season ... While the middle of the batting order was busy hitting home runs, sophomore catcher Keaton Rice remained busy getting on base … Hitting just .257, Rice entered the game 26th in the nation with a .500 on-base percentage and ninth nationally by averaging 1.07 walks per game … Rice reached base safely in each of his first four plate appearances Tuesday on three walks and a hit by pitch … In his last 15 plate appearances over a span of four games, Rice has drawn 10 walks and been hit by two pitches … Senior LHP Cole Cook appeared in a third consecutive game for the Braves … Cook pitched the final inning of Saturday's doubleheader opener against Southern Illinois and then started the night cap against the Salukis … Cook worked a perfect third inning Tuesday, lowering his season ERA to 1.21.
 
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Players Mentioned

Dan Bolt

#35 Dan Bolt

OF
6' 0"
Junior
L/R
Ben Cilano

#34 Ben Cilano

RHP
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
Cole Cook

#5 Cole Cook

LHP
6' 0"
Senior
L/L
Brendan Dougherty

#26 Brendan Dougherty

IF
6' 2"
Junior
L/R
Jean-Francois Garon

#37 Jean-Francois Garon

OF
6' 3"
Senior
R/R
Ryan Hodgett

#20 Ryan Hodgett

RHP
6' 0"
Junior
R/R
Keaton Rice

#15 Keaton Rice

C
6' 2"
Sophomore
L/R
Brian Schrimmer

#27 Brian Schrimmer

RHP
5' 11"
Senior
R/R
Connor O

#41 Connor O'Brien

C/IF
6' 0"
Freshman
R/R
Jed Moscot

#43 Jed Moscot

RHP
6' 3"
Junior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Dan Bolt

#35 Dan Bolt

6' 0"
Junior
L/R
OF
Ben Cilano

#34 Ben Cilano

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
RHP
Cole Cook

#5 Cole Cook

6' 0"
Senior
L/L
LHP
Brendan Dougherty

#26 Brendan Dougherty

6' 2"
Junior
L/R
IF
Jean-Francois Garon

#37 Jean-Francois Garon

6' 3"
Senior
R/R
OF
Ryan Hodgett

#20 Ryan Hodgett

6' 0"
Junior
R/R
RHP
Keaton Rice

#15 Keaton Rice

6' 2"
Sophomore
L/R
C
Brian Schrimmer

#27 Brian Schrimmer

5' 11"
Senior
R/R
RHP
Connor O

#41 Connor O'Brien

6' 0"
Freshman
R/R
C/IF
Jed Moscot

#43 Jed Moscot

6' 3"
Junior
R/R
RHP