HAWKS BUILD NEST ATOP DISTRICT

BENTON -- Finally, someone got Kelly's Brad Kolwyck out.

But not when it counted.

Kolwyck, who posted unbelievable numbers this past week, went "just" 1-for-3 Friday, but his single was the eventual game-winner as the Hawks edged Chaffee 3-2 in a game with important implications.

Kolwyck, who homered in five consecutive at-bats earlier this week, lined a two-out single down the right-field line to score Jamie Essner in the bottom of the fifth inning to account for the final margin.

Chaffee (10-3, 3-1 Southern Mississippi Conference) stranded a runner in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings. Dusty Leggett grounded out to first with Tommy Stidham at third to end the game.

The win puts Kelly in position to seal the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Class 2A, District 2 tournament. With wins over Chaffee and state-ranked Notre Dame, the Hawks -- barring an upset -- are all but guaranteed the top seed, thus a first-round bye.

The No. 1 seed would also prevent the Hawks from having to beat the other two powers in the district, whereas Notre Dame or Chaffee would have to defeat two prominent teams back-to-back in order to advance to sectionals.

"Normally, I don't think the district seedings are that important as long as we get in the top three," Kelly coach Mike Scott said. "But this year, it's different. We want to get that first-bye because Jason Glastetter hasn't pitched yet (rotator cuff) and we were counting on him as being our No. 2 man. So we'll be able to save our pitching and that makes a big difference for us. Plus, with the three teams log-jammed at the top, you'd rather them battle it out rather than us in the semis."

"Whoever winds up with the No. 1 seed in our district will have a big advantage," Chaffee coach Bruce Qualls said. "We'll probably end up with a three seed now. But we may get a chance to make up both of those losses (Notre Dame and Kelly) in the district tournament."

As for Kolwyck, his two outs on Friday were his first two in 12 at-bats this week. The RBI -- his second game-winner in as many contests -- gave him 14 for the week. The most RBIs by any other Kelly player for this season is 13.

Kelly's Jim Hulshof, a 6-foot-3 right-hander, hurled a six-hitter and allowed two unearned runs, both coming in the second inning. Hulshof struck out five and walked two.

Kelly (10-2, 5-0) scored single runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings.

Matt Stroup pitched well for Chaffee, though Qualls was disappointed with his location in certain situations.

"We had an open base and we shouldn't have given (Kolwyck) anything to hit," Qualls said. "He's been as hot as a firecracker. We gave up the game-winning run to him with a base open."

Stroup went the distance and allowed three earned runs on five hits and a walk. He fanned five.

Kelly's leadoff hitter Jamie Essner was the only player in the game with two hits -- both singles. Essner scored two runs, including one in the first inning off of a single by Jason Glastetter.

After taking a 1-0 lead in the first, Chaffee plated two in the second. With two outs, Chaffee's Travis Hanback reached on a dropped third strike. Jeremy Vandeven then singled. Matt Graham and Jeremy Lynn followed with RBI singles.

Kelly tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth when Glastetter walked and eventually scored on a single by designated hitter Justin Simpher.