Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Peoria, Ill. - Valpo had a 10-0 lead after two innings and went on to defeat Bradley 19-13. Kevin Kutansky had four RBIs and Colin Reynolds added three RBIs. The Crusaders (13-22) pounded out 21 hits.

Kutansky, Reynolds, Mike Arensdorff, Kevin Perri (2 RBIs) and Ryan Manthei (2 RBIs) had two hits each. Eddie Hannan and Brian Rzepka finished with two hits and two RBIs each. Manthei belted two of Valpo's five doubles.

Valpo took a 4-0 lead in the first inning when Kutansky produced a two-run double, Reynolds followed with an RBI single and Manthei added an RBI double.

The Crusaders increased their advantage to 10-0 with a six-run second. Perri, Reynolds, Manthei, Matt Augustine and Rzepka each had RBI hits, while Kutansky drove in another on a fielder's choice.

After Bradley (20-17-1) plated two in the third, Valpo scored one in the fourth and three in the fifth to take a 14-2 lead. Rzepka had another RBI single, while Hannan highlighted the fifth with a two-run single.

The Braves scored three in the fifth before the Crusaders responded with two more in the sixth to maintain a 16-5 lead. Bradley tallied three in the bottom of the sixth and Valpo answered with three unearned runs in the seventh. The Braves scored one in the seventh and three in the ninth for the final score.

Matt Gillikin (1-2) pitched 5 innings, allowing three earned runs, for his first collegiate victory.

Valpo, which stands in second place in the Mid-Continent Conference with a 6-2 mark, hosts first-place Oral Roberts (10-0) in a doubleheader Saturday beginning at noon.