ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The Lindenwood baseball team (7-9, 0-0 OVC) started off their lengthy homestand with a 6-5 win over Bradley (4-11, 0-0 MVC) at the Lou Brock Sports Complex on Tuesday afternoon. The Lions fell behind 3-0 early before scoring six unanswered runs and holding on late for the victory.
Tyler Ellis led the Lindenwood offense with three RBIs on a pair of knocks while
Filip Sarota went 3-3 with two runs scored.
Braden Branigin had a strong outing on the mound, allowing zero runs on just one hit with three strikeouts through 3.2 inning of relief work.
Dillon Haftorson picked up his first win over the season after following Branigin with a pair of shutout innings.
Sam Driscoll earned his first career save after entering the game and recording the final out with the bases loaded.
How it Happened
After three hit batters loaded the bases for Bradley in the top of the first, the Braves grabbed an early lead with a Michael Quick two-RBI single to right field. Bradley would leave two stranded in the opening frame but would extend their lead to 3-0 in the third inning with a Colin McCormick RBI single.
Lindenwood got two back in the fourth, loading the bases with no outs before
Jake Radosevich came home to score on an
Ethan Cantareira ground ball fielder's choice and
Will Geary tagged and beat a throw to the plate on high
Tyler Ellis pop up down the right field line.
Ellis would drive in another run in the sixth with an RBI single that plated
Filip Sarota to tie the game. Lindenwood would grab the lead shortly thereafter when a botched pick-off attempt by the Bradley pitcher allowed
Tanner Simpson to score from third.
Charlie Isom-McCall made three runs in the frame with a base hit to score Ellis, bringing the tally to 5-3 in favor of the Lions.
LU added another run in the bottom of the seventh as
Tyler Ellis continued to deliver with runners in scoring position, recording his third RBI of the game with a single through the left side that plated
Filip Sarota, who had initially reached base with is third hit in an many at-bats.
Bradley loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the eighth but were unable to score any runs as
Peter Underwood got the third out with a fly ball to center field to escape the inning.
The Braves loaded the bags again in the ninth and were able to scratch a pair of runs across on an RBI fielder's choice and bases loaded hit by pitch but were unable to bring home the tying run.
Next Up
The Lions and Braves close out their quick two-game series with a 1:00 p.m. matinee on Wednesday.
