C2SB State Semifinal: Kennett gets offensive in rout of Lone Jack

SPRINGFIELD – The Kennett High School softball squad has been offensive with its play all spring.

The Indians have averaged nearly 12 runs per game, which is the most by any Kennett team in nine years, and that was evident on Monday, as Kennett obliterated Lone Jack 11-4 in the semifinal of the MSHSAA Class 2 State Semifinal at the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield.

“We have a very good mixture of freshman through seniors,” fourth-year Kennett coach Logan Dollins said. “We are one of those teams, where at any given point, up and down the lineup, from the one hole to the nine, anyone can score runs or manufacture runs.”

It didn’t matter much who Dollins sent up to the plate against the Lady Mules (15-10), they proved to be productive.

Kennett banged out 15 hits and amassed a total of 24 bases, as it never trailed.

“If somebody is not going,” Dollins continued, “there is always somebody to pick them up. We’ve been fortunate in that way this year.”

The Indians (25-8) are making their seventh trip to the State Finals in the past 10 seasons but advanced to the championship game for the first time since finishing as the Class 1 runner-up in 2019.

Kennett won consecutive Class 1 state championships in 2014 and 2015.

“We have been battle-tested all year,” Dollins said. “We put together a really, really tough schedule. We played really good teams and faced really good pitching.

“At the end of this game, I told them that was a terrible celebration, but this was like just another game to them.”

The Indians took that business-like approach from the opening pitch.

Junior Lauren Barton connected for the first of her three doubles in the opening inning, and junior Emma Tinnin made it a 2-0 Kennett margin with a home run shot over the left field fence a couple of batters later.

“It’s not every day that you come out here and hit balls out,” Dollins said. “For us, to be able to move people around (the bases), and situational hit and things along those lines is good.”

Kennett led 4-1 in the fourth inning when freshman Avery Payne led off that inning with a double, which was followed by a single from junior Emma Bodkin.

Four consecutive hits from senior Kaydee Taylor (single), junior Handley McAtee (single), Barton (a double), and senior Hadley Wilson (single) resulted in the Indians stretching their advantage to 9-1 and they were never threatened again.

Barton had four hits to go with four runs scored and three RBI while McAtee (two hits, three runs, one RBI), Wilson (two hits, two RBI), Tinnin (three hits, one run, four RBI), sophomore Kynsly McCaig (one walk), Payne (one hit, one run), Bodkin (two hits, one run), and Taylor (one hit, one run, one RBI) were also productive.

Barton had three doubles while Payne, Tinnin, and McAtee also had two-baggers.

While the Kennett bats were pounding out hits, McAtee was controlling the Lady Mules’ offense from the mound.

The right-hander threw a complete game and allowed just three hits and one earned run while walking three and striking out seven.

“She was really sharp,” Dollins said of his pitcher. “She commanded the strike zone, and she is just a workhorse.

“Nothing fazes her too bad.”

The Indians will now play Diamond (37-1), which beat Willow Springs 13-3 in five innings.

Kennett has already played the Wildcats earlier this season in a tournament at West County High School and fell 11-1 in six innings.

“Diamond is a great team,” Dollins said. “We’re going to have to keep pressure on them.”

The championship game is on Tuesday at 11 a.m.