Box Score

PEORIA, Ill. – Wichita State scored five runs in the first three innings and held on to defeat Bradley 5-3 in game one of a three game series.

Sam Hilliard went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a home run, while Ryan Tinkham went 1-for-5 with two RBI and a home run. Trey Vickers went 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Starter Isaac Anderson went 5.2 innings and gave up three runs on nine hits with three walks and eight strikeouts to earn the win. Reliever John Hayes went 3.1 shutout innings to earn his first save.

The Shockers took an early lead with a run in the top of the first. Tanner Dearman led off with a single and Daniel Kihle walked. Dearman moved to third on Ryan Tinkham's fly ball and Sam Hilliard drove in Dearman with a single to right field for a 1-0 lead.

WSU added to the lead in the second. Chase Rader was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and he stole second. With two outs, Trey Vickers singled up the middle to score Rader for a 2-0 lead.

Kihle led off the third with a single through the left side and Tinkham homered to left field to extend his hitting streak to 16 games and give the Shockers a 4-0 lead. Hilliard followed with a home run to increase the lead to 5-0.

The Braves cut into the lead in the third. Chris Godinez was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and he stole second. With one out, Spencer Gaa doubled to left-center to score Godinez to cut the lead to 5-1.

Isaac Smith and Gaa led off the fifth with singles for Bradley and both advanced on a sacrifice bunt. A walk loaded the bases and Drew Carlile's sacrifice fly scored Smith bringing the Braves within 5-2.

Carson Weber doubled with one out in the sixth and scored on a two-out single from Smith to close the gap to 5-3.

The Shockers and Braves play game two of the series on Sat., April 18 at 1 p.m.

-Wichita State-