MVC Release

ST. LOUIS – Missouri State junior pitcher Holly Kelley (Cypress, Texas) has been named Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, the league announced Monday afternoon.
 
The transfer from Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College was spectacular for the Bears last week, going 2-0 in two starts in the circle with a 0.54 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 13.0 innings of work.
 
Kelley struck out nine batters in a complete-game shutout win over Loyola on Sunday, the most strikeouts by any MSU pitcher this season, while walking one, allowing just two Rambler hits and facing just three over the minimum. She also picked up a win in Saturday's 9-1 victory over LUC, fanning five in a 6-inning complete game with just one earned run and one walk.
 
For the week, Kelley posted a WHIP of 0.69, while opponents hit just .156 against her in that span.
 
This is Kelley's second MVC honor of the month. She also earned MVC Pitcher of the Week laurels on March 13 after her performance at the Leon Smith Classic in Oxford, Ala.
 
Missouri State (16-11, 4-2 MVC) sits in a three-way tie for third place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings and just one game behind league frontrunners Southern Illinois and Illinois State. The Bears head to Tulsa for a 5 p.m. non-conference game on Wednesday before resuming Valley play Saturday and Sunday at Bradley.