SPRINGFIELD, Mo.– For the first time in program history, the Drury Panthers will face Missouri State in a regular season game as the squads face off on Tuesday at Hammons Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm.
 
The two programs have met in exhibition games four times since 2012 in a fall charity game. The "Battle For Bell" has been a fundraiser that started in 2012 to assist former Glendale High School baseball coach Howard Bell in his fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Bell played for Missouri State and served as an assistant coach at Glendale to Drury's head coach at the time, Mark Stratton. Bell passed away in 2013, but the two programs continued with an annual exhibition game to raise funds for the CoxHealth ALS Clinic. Missouri State has won all four of those meetings against the Panthers.
 
The two teams are also linked by their head coaches. Panthers head coach Scott Nasby played on under Bears head coach Keith Guttin from 2002-05 and was on Missouri State's 2003 NCAA College World Series team.
 
Drury enters the game, 8-10 and coming off a split of a four-game series at Rockhurst last weekend. The Panthers lost the first two games, then won the second half of a doubleheader on Friday, 27-12, then won Saturday's game 10-3 over the Hawks.
 
Missouri State is 10-10 and opened Missouri Valley Conference play last weekend with a split of a four-game series at home against Bradley. The Bears are 5-4 at home so far this season.
 
Drury's probable starting pitcher is Cody Bahl. The left-hander from Lee's Summit, Missouri and West High School is 2-0 with a 2.31 earned run average. Bahl got the win in his last start going six innings at Missouri-St. Louis on Tuesday allowing five hits, three runs, two earned runs, and three walks with six strikeouts.
 
Tickets are $2 for Drury students with their student-ID and $6 for adults. The Hammons Field ticket office will open one hour prior to the first pitch. Call 417-836-7678 for more information.

Live broadcast coverage is on Springfield radio station JOCK 96.9 FM/99.9 FM/1060 AM and www.969thejock.com. 
 
Information on COVID-19 protocols for Hammons Field
- Capacity will be 1,900 for Missouri State baseball games in 2021.
- All fans will be asked to follow social distancing guidelines and are required to be masked when in the facility.
- Enter through the main entrance of Hammons Field located on the SW side of the stadium on the corner of N. JQH Pkwy. and E. Trafficway.
- Seating will be general admission with staggered row designation.
- Hand sanitization stations will be set up around the facility.
- Standing or loitering on the concourse is prohibited, except for security and game operations personnel.
- The ticket office will be open one (1) hour prior to the start of the first game. For doubleheaders, it will remain open until 30 minutes after the start of the second game.
- Concessions will be available during games. Specific markings will be placed on the ground to help with social distancing.
 
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