Kelly avoids no-hitter, rallies past Central in nine innings

To say that things didn't look good for the Kelly High School softball team Monday afternoon would not even be doing the situation justice.

Kelly trailed host Central 3-0 entering its final at-bat in the top of the seventh inning -- and the Hawks were being no-hit by junior Maggie Groshong.

"We kept our heads up as much as we could," junior center fielder Samantha Ratledge said.

The Hawks' heads stayed up long enough to pull out a 5-4, nine-inning victory.

"We weren't really on our game, but we stuck together as a team," sophomore pitcher Alexis Dock said.

Kelly starter Alexis Dock pitches to a Central batter during the seventh inning Monday at Central High School. (Fred Lynch)

Kelly, despite commiting an uncharacteristic six errors, improved to 7-1. Central, which had just one error and turned in several sharp defensive plays, fell to 6-3.

"It was awful," Kelly coach Rhonda Ratledge said about her squad's performance. "We came out very sluggish. Our bats didn't come alive until the seventh inning."

That seventh-inning rally featured four runs on four hits and Central's lone error as the Hawks went ahead 5-4.

Central battled back to tie the contest in the bottom of the seventh before Kelly scored the winning run in the ninth.

"It was a good game. I thought we played well," Central coach Amy Blattel said. "We left way too many people on base. When you let a good team hang around, it's always dangerous."

The Tigers had plenty of chances to build on their 3-0 lead, including in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases with one out but failed to score.

Junior second baseman Kristi Brucker led off the seventh with a double to right-center field that ended Groshong's no-hit bid.

An error and a walk loaded the bases before Morgan LeDure's infield single drove in Kelly's first run.

With one out, junior right fielder Savannah Ashley delivered the big blow, a two-RBI double off the left-field fence that tied the contest.

Ratledge then laid down a suicide squeeze bunt that plated the go-ahead run.

"It was like we didn't have our heads on at the beginning, but we finally got going," Brucker said.

Kelly had the bases loaded and just one out with a chance to do more damage, but Central senior ace Kadie Orenstein moved from shortstop to the circle and escaped the threat.

That left the door open for the Tigers to stage their own seventh-inning rally.

Orenstein led off with an infield single, junior catcher Sarah Kitchen singled and sophomore first baseman Brooke Anderson sacrificed.

A walk loaded the bases, and Kelly moved within one out of the win by getting a force at the plate.

But sophomore left fielder Megan Smith drew a full-count walk to force home the tying run.

"Our girls kept battling," Blattel said.

Both teams had solid chances in the eighth inning. Central had the best opportunity when it loaded the bases with one out but failed to capitalize.

Kelly then went ahead for good in the ninth.

Ratledge, Kelly's speedy leadoff batter, singled, stole second, was sacrificed to third by senior shortstop Jade Rampley and scored on Dock's suicide squeeze bunt.

"It was a little nerve-wracking," coach Ratledge said about the game in general. "Cape did an excellent job."

Dock pitched the first 7 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and four runs, two earned. She struck out two, walked three and hit two batters.

Brucker notched the victory with 1 2/3 hitless innings. She struck out two.

"I think it's more fun to win the close games," Brucker said.

Orenstein suffered the loss, allowing three hits and a run in 2 2/3 innings.

Groshong, who has given the Tigers the solid No. 2 pitcher they didn't have during last year's run to a district title, was charged with four runs, three earned, and four hits in 6 1/3 innings. She struck out two and walked five.

"She did an excellent job. Both our pitchers did," Blattel said. "She [Groshong] does a good job of mixing up her pitches and hitting her spots. She put a lot of work in during the offseason and she's pitched some very good games for us this year."

Kitchen, Smith and freshman right fielder Sydney Tollison all had two of Cape's eight hits.

Smith drove in three runs, two on a second-inning single to give Central a 3-0 lead. Kitchen had an RBI double in the first inning.

LeDure and Ratledge each had two of Kelly's seven hits.

"It's good to have close games like this," coach Ratledge said.

While Kelly might not have been sharp Monday, the tradition-rich Hawks -- despite having just one senior in Rampley -- have their sights set on another final four berth.

The Hawks have qualified for the state semifinals six of the past nine years. Last season they finished third in Class 2.

"We're trying to do every better than last year," Brucker said.

Kelly 000 000 401 -- 5 7 6

Central 120 000 100 -- 4 8 1

WP -- Kristi Brucker. LP -- Kadie Orenstein. Leading hitters -- Kelly: Morgan LeDure 2-4; Samantha Ratledge 2-5; Savannah Ashley 2B, 2 RBIs; Brucker 2B. Central: Megan Smith 2-4, 3 RBIs; Sarah Kitchen 2-4, 2B; Sydney Tollison 2-4. Records -- Kelly 7-1, Central 6-3.