INDIANAPOLIS – Bradley scored eight of their nine runs in the opening two innings on Sunday afternoon to claim a 9-5 win. Each starting pitcher was replaced early in the game after poor outings, but in the end the five-run top of the first scoring outbreak would be too much for Butler to overcome.

Butler looked to be in fine shape at the beginning of the game as they retired the first two batters of the day. Tyler Leffler extended the inning with a double and would come around to score during the next at-bat after a single from Paul Solka.

The Bulldogs would then catch a tough break as an error would extend the inning and put runners on the corners. The Braves would follow up quickly with back-to-back doubles and a single to grab the 5-0 lead.

The Bulldogs would get three runs back in the bottom of the first after a strange turn of events that featured the Bradley starter walking the first four batters that he faced. Lucio would take first base and allow Drew Small to score and a pitching change would follow that at-bat.

Chris Maranto made the game 5-2 with a sac fly to right field and a groundout by Garrett Christman would round off the scoring in the first inning.

The Braves would strike again in the second inning with three more runs highlighted by a two-RBI double to right center from Solka. A single from Evan Gruener would send Solka around to score and give Bradley the early 8-3 advantage.

The Bulldogs would pull Quentin Miller in favor of Danny Pobereyko and the strategy worked. Pobereyko came in to throw 6.2 innings of ball and recorded a team-high nine strikeouts.

Bobby Napoleon also pitched one inning for BU. Napoleon was nearly perfect in his frame with two strikeouts.

Butler scored a run in the bottom of the fourth off a Sam Russo double to right center and the final run of the game would cross home plate in the ninth with Small giving Butler five runs off the Chip Bouchard ground out.