Big first inning propels Scott City baseball team to district title over Kelly

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- The Scott City baseball team figured an eight-run first inning would be enough to win a district championship.

Kelly made sure the Rams earned it.

Kelly spotted Scott City that eight-run first inning, then battled back late with single runs in the final three frames before the Rams got the final out and claimed their third consecutive Class 3 District 2 championship with an 8-3 victory at Benny Hillhouse Memorial Park in Charleston.

Scott City (18-12) advances to face Malden (24-5) in a state sectional on Monday.

Kelly finished its season at 13-16.

"We came out and we threw up that eight spot in the first inning, and we hit the baseball," Scott City head coach Jim May said.

Did they ever. Dylan Keller had a two-run single, Trent Pobst and Jordan Kluesner had run-scoring hits, and the Rams parlayed five hits and three walks into eight runs.

"They came out ready to play, for sure," May said. "I knew that. I could tell in the pregame they were loose and they were ready to get after it and ready to hit the baseball."

The first eight batters for the Rams reached base in the bottom of the first inning. Braden Cox started it off with a leadoff double to right off Kelly starter Levi Alsup. Hunter Copeland walked, and Trent Pobst followed with a double to right that plated Cox with the game's first run. Andrew Short walked to load the bases, and Jordan Kluesner followed with a popup down the right-field line that fell for a single, scoring Copeland.

That brought up Tyler Rogers, who walked to force in a run and also forced Kelly head coach Justin McAlister's hand.

"It kind of got to the point where I thought (Alsup) was starting to beat himself up too much mentally, and that's when we brought (Jonathan Tyler) in," said McAlister.

Kelly's Kyle Fitzgerald throws to first for an out against Scott City in the second inning during the Class 3 District 2 championship Friday, May 22, 2015 in Charleston, Missouri. (Glenn Landberg)

Tyler, a freshman right-hander with a nasty curve, allowed singles to Keller and Caeden Hillermann before enticing a run-scoring groundout, sacrifice fly and inning-ending grounder to short.

The score was 8-0, but Kelly was out of the inning.

"We had (Braden Cox) on the mound and it's like we kind of felt that was going to hold up," May said. "So we just kind of relaxed instead of going for the kill. I've been talking about that all year, when you've got somebody down like that, you've got to try and finish them because a good team will always come back. And they're a good team."

Cox, a sophomore right-hander, worked in and out of trouble all game for the Rams. He hit the first batter of the game, Kelly's Ty Householder, with the first pitch of the game, but erased that mistake with a strike-him-out, throw-him-out twin killing on the next batter when Rams catcher Ty Wilfong took the called third strike and threw down to second to nail Householder attempting to steal.

Cox proceeded to work out of a bases-loaded jam in the third, enticing Kyle Fitzgerald to ground out to second, then allowed single runs in the fifth and sixth as Kelly pulled within 8-2.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Householder doubled to deep center to set up Kelly's last gasp. Proctor followed with a bloop single to right to put runners at the corners. Fitzgerald reached on an infield error that plated Householder and brought May out of the dugout to the mound with Rams still leading 8-3.

"I think we were getting a little excited out there," Cox said. "I was like, 'I have to do this myself,' but coach just said to go out there and throw strikes."

Cox settled down, striking out Alsup and, after allowing a single to Jacob McClain that loaded the bases, got Jeremiah Bain on a swinging third strike to end the game.

Scott City players pose for a photo after their win over Kelly during the Class 3 District 2 championship Friday, May 22, 2015 in Charleston, Missouri. (Glenn Landberg)

"(Cox) came out and mowed them down the first couple innings and just set the tone. We felt pretty comfortable then. The problem was we felt a little too comfortable. But it's a good win for our program. I'm happy to have it."

McAlister never hesitated after Alsup, his junior lefty, struggled early.

"Levi has dominated teams," McAlister said, noting that Alsup has thrown a no-hitter and two one-hitters this season. "We were going down with Levi on the mound today. I thought about pulling him (early), but I thought this is his. ... We had to go down with him today. I had to give him an opportunity."

Tyler allowed hits to the first two batters he faced, then shut the Rams down the remainder of the game.

"He did a great job," said McAlister. "He gave us an opportunity the entire game. And we had runners on, every inning we had two, three runners on, and we had chances, we just couldn't get that one big hit to break an inning open. But he did a great job, especially for a freshman."

"I just wanted to help my team," Tyler said. "Just contribute and do my job. ... "We've been competing all year. I had no doubt we'd come back."

Kelly 000 011 1 -- 3 8 0

Scott City 800 000 x -- 8 5 0

WP -- Braden Cox. LP -- Levi Alsup. 2B -- Ty Householder (K), Mitchell Proctor (K), Brenton James (K), Braden Cox (SC), Trent Pobst (SC). Multiple hits -- Kelly: Proctor 2-4, Jacob McClain 2-4, Jonathan Tyler 2-3. Records: Kelly 13-16, Scott City 18-12.