Box Score
PEORIA, Ill. – Luke Shadid's two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning proved to be the difference in the rubber game of a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series, as Bradley earned an 8-6 win over Illinois State Sunday afternoon at Dozer Park.
Illinois State (11-27, 1-8 MVC) took advantage of four Bradley errors Sunday and led by three runs after the top of the sixth inning. The Braves tied it up in the bottom of the sixth, however, and then won it on Shadid's homer in the bottom of the eighth.
Owen Miller went 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI for Illinois State. Nick Zouras went 2-for-5, also with a pair of doubles.
Bradley (18-19, 4-5) scored first Sunday, with a Derek Bangert sacrifice fly and an Ian Kristan RBI single in the third inning. The Braves took advantage of a Redbird fielding error in the fourth to make it a 3-0 lead.
Illinois State got two runs back in the fifth thanks to a pair of Bradley miscues, allowing Joe Butler and Zach Barnhart to score.
The Redbirds then took the lead in the sixth when Bradley committed two more errors. Zouras scored the game-tying run when the Braves committed an error on Joe Aeilts' sacrifice bunt. The Redbirds pushed ahead when Aeilts scored moments later on an error by Bradley's left fielder. An RBI double from Miller and a sacrifice fly from John Rave capped the four-run sixth.
Bradley came back to tie it up at 6-6, however, in the bottom of the sixth. A two-run single from Andy Shadid got the Braves within one run, and a double from Andrew Ivelia that scored Andy Shadid tied the game.
The hosts then took the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth on Luke Shadid's two-run home run that cleared the left-field fence.
Redbird starter Brent Headrick exited the game after tossing a scoreless first inning. Jeffrey Barton allowed three runs (two earned) over the next four innings. Bradley tied the game by scoring three runs against Mitch Vogrin in the sixth inning. Jack Landwehr tossed the final two innings for Illinois State, and was on the mound when Luke Shadid broke the tie with his two-run homer.
The Redbirds return to action Tuesday when they host Western Illinois at Duffy Bass Field at 6 p.m. Links for live video, audio and stats are available at GoRedbirds.com, and fans can follow @RedbirdBaseball on Twitter for live updates and more.
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