Bradley University (25-24-1) ace left-hander Joe Bircher cruised into the eighth inning riding a 4-hitter, but Dallas Baptist (38-16) rallied for three runs in the eighth to earn a 5-4 victory in the opener of a 3-game series Thursday night at O’Brien Field. The Braves, which has won a school-record 11 1-run decisions this season, dropped its season-long seventh consecutive game, including the last four by one run each. Though he struck out a season-low two hitters, Bircher (7-3) did move into sole possession of third place on the school’s single-season strikeout list by pushing his season total to 104. The 104 strikeouts are the most by a Bradley pitcher since Wyman Carey, who was in attendance Thursday night for a pregame ceremony, fanned the school-record 120 hitters in 1956.
-Bob
The Peoria Chiefs behind another strong pitching performance from lefty Kyler Burke defeated the Burlington Bees 2-1 before 1,367 fans. Both of the Chiefs runs came by way of sacrifice flies. In the fourth, designated hitter Taylor Davis drove in Ryan Cuneo, who walked and then took third on Anthony Giansanti’s single. Burlington scored their only run in the third when B.A. Vollmuth drove in Sean Jamieson, who doubled. The victory gives Peoria its first four-game winning streak of the season. Click here for complete game stats.
-Bob
With a sellout crowd of 7,142 in attendance for Star Wars night at the ballpark, starter PJ Francescon put on a show of his own leading the Peoria Chiefs to a dominating 2-1 win over the Burlington Bees Saturday night. Despite the win, the game saw the end of Paul Hoilman’s franchise-record 24-game hit streak which began on April 14th. The Chiefs took advantage of some faulty defense in the bottom of the third. After walking his fifth batter of the game to start the frame, Burlington starter Raul Alcantara hurled an errant pickoff throw to first allowing Zeke DeVoss to scoot all the way to third. Taiwan Easterling was unable to get one past the drawn in infield but another errant throw from shortstop Sean Jamieson allowed DeVoss to cross home giving Peoria a 1-0 lead without recording a hit. After back-to-back flyouts, Easterling stole second and was brought home on a RBI single by Wes Darvill extending the Chiefs’ lead to 2-0. Click for complete game stats.
-Bob
On the night Paul Hoilman set the franchise record for longest hit streak in team history at 22, the Peoria Chiefs were unable to take advantage of another quality start from Kyler Burke as they fell 2-1 to the Beloit Snappers Wednesday night at Peoria Chiefs Stadium before 2,370 fans. The Snappers jumped out to a lead in the top of the third. Rory Rhodes singled and advanced to second on a balk by Burke. A groundout moved Rhodes to third before Adam Pettersen joined him on the base paths with a one-out walk. Leadoff hitter Wang Wei-Lin brought home Rhodes slapping a ground ball past the diving Wes Darvill at third to open the scoring at 1-0. After setting franchise record for longest hitting streak in his first at bat, Paul Hoilman was at it again in the fourth. The first baseman tripled with one out off Steven Gruver (2-3) and trotted home with a sac fly from Taylor Davis knotting the score at 1-1. Beloit got their lead back in the seventh. After hitting the leadoff hitter Jonathan Goncalves, Burke allowed a bloop single to Rhodes, Kyle Knudson followed with a sac bunt while reaching on a fielders’ choice to load the bases for Adam Pettersen. Pettersen gave Beloit the lead with a sac fly down the right field line that allowed Goncalves to tag and score giving Beloit a 2-1 lead. Click here for the complete game stats.
-Bob
Bradley scored in six of the seven innings and put up six runs in the seventh inning to cut short its series-opener at Interstate 74 rival Illinois State 20-14, 2-7 MVC, downing the Redbirds 13-2 Friday night at Duffy Bass Field. The Braves (20-14-1, 5-5 MVC) banged out 16 hits in support of ace left-hander Joe Bircher, who improved to 5-1 on the season with his second complete-game effort of the year. Bircher overcame a rough start to earn his third win in his last four starts and move into a tie for seventh in school history with his 19th career win. The senior lefty scattered five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out six to push his Bradley school record to 270 career strikeouts. Bradley built its 10-run cushion when Greg Partyka lined an RBI single into right field that scooted under Eric Aguilera‘s glove, allowing Mike Tauchman to come around all the way from first while the Braves designated hitter cruised into third. Max Murphy made it 13-2 when he lofted a sacrifice fly to left field. Click here for game box score.
-Bob
