PEORIA, Ill. – It's not often a starting pitcher allows one run, strikes out 10 in 6.2 innings and is overshadowed, but that was the case for Bradley starter David Koll Friday night at Peoria Chiefs Stadium. 

Wichita State starter Cale Elam (4-1) struck out a career-best 13 hitters and did not surrender a walk in a 5-hit shutout, leading the Shockers (19-16, 5-2 MVC) to a 4-0 victory in the opening game of a 3-game Missouri Valley Conference series at Bradley (11-17, 1-6).  With the win, the Shockers moved into a 3-way tie for first in the MVC standings, while Bradley remained tied for seventh with Southern Illinois.

Making his third career MVC start, Koll (1-4) struck out a career-best 10 hitters, but was the hard-luck loser as the Braves managed just five singles against Elam.  The Braves were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and after Tyler Leffler led off the bottom of the eighth with a single, David Compitello hit into a double play before Elam struck out three of the final four Bradley hitters of the game.

Wichita State got all the offense it needed in the second inning when Micah Green singled into left field and scored on Tyler Baker's 2-out double.  Green finished 3-for-4, adding an RBI triple to highlight Wichita State's 3-run eighth inning to break the game open.

The teams will resume their weekend series with a 2 p.m. game Saturday at Peoria Chiefs Stadium.  Freshman lefthander Brent Stong (4-1) is scheduled to make his first career start for the Braves, while sophomore lefty A.J. Ladwig (3-3) is slated to start for the Shockers.

NOTES:  Bradley leftfielder Mike Tauchman entered the game with a league-leading .407 batting average and the nation's second-longest, active hitting streak at 21 games … Tauchman was 0-for-3 with a sacrifice bunt to end the streak … Three Bradley pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts, meaning half of the game's 54 outs were recorded via a strikeout.