PEORIA, Ill. – Sophomore pitcher Julie Kestas kept one of the top offensive teams in the Missouri Valley Conference in check, tossing a complete game one-hit shutout as Bradley blanked Wichita State 1-0 in the series finale Sunday at Petersen Hotels Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.
 
Kestas turned in the strongest performance of her young career, striking out five and walking none in the first complete game shutout of her career.  She cruised through the Wichita State (22-14 overall, 8-4 MVC) lineup and had a perfect game bid spoiled by a two-out Madison Perrigan single in the top of the seventh.
 
Following the only Shocker hit of the afternoon, Kestas regrouped to get a flyout to right by Macklin Hitz to end the 1-0 Bradley (19-20 overall, 5-7 MVC) victory.  Wichita State came into the series finale hitting a league-best .316 and also led the Valley in runs, doubles and home runs.  Kestas made 87 pitches in the win to improve to 6-7 on the year as she came one-out away from Bradley's first no-hitter since March of 2007 and the first perfect game since Amy Elza in March of 1994.
 
Wichita State hurler Jenni Brooks also had a strong outing and was the hard-luck loser for the Shockers after holding Bradley to four hits.  The Braves left a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom of the second and Bradley had all four of its hits in the first three frames. 
 
In the bottom of the third, junior Maria Schroeder had a two-out triple in the right field corner and came home for the only run of the day on a single through the right side by senior Caitlyn McCarron. 
 
Perrigan was the only base runner for either team in the final four innings with her two-out single in the seventh spoiling the no-hit bid for Kestas.
 
Bradley will open a five-game road swing with a three-game series at Northern Iowa Friday and Saturday.  The Braves and Panthers will play a noon doubleheader Friday in Cedar Falls, Iowa.