NORMAL — Missouri State softball coach Holly Hesse decided on Holly Kelley over Kaitlin Beason as her starting pitcher Thursday because Drake had seen less of Kelley during the team’s regular-season series.
The Bulldogs wish they had seen a lot less of Kelley on the opening day of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Marian Kneer Stadium.
Kelley gave up an unearned run in the second inning but tossed a no-hitter as the seventh-seeded Bears edged No. 6 Drake, 2-1. In Thursday’s first game of the single-elimination tournament, No. 8 seed Loyola ousted No. 5 Evansville, 6-1,
Loyola meets No.