KELLY, DELTA GIRLS ADVANCE TO FINAL FOUR

Kelly and Delta are both headed to the state's final four in high school softball after posting quarterfinal victories Saturday.

Kelly will be in the Class 2A Final Four for the fourth time in the past five years as the Lady Hawks rode the brilliant no-hit pitching of Marissa Essner to a 3-1 win over Clopton in a game played at the Ballwin Athletic Association in the St. Louis area.

Delta is going to the Class 1A Final Four in its first season of fall play as the Lady Bobcats rode the almost equally brilliant pitching of Rebecca Cook to a 2-0 triumph over Fair Play in a contest played in Ash Grove, Mo.

Both Kelly and Delta will play semifinal games Friday in Columbia, with the opponents not yet determined as the Southeast Missourian went to press.

Kelly 3, Clopton 1

Essner has stamped herself as one of the state's top hurlers during her sensational high school career and she did nothing to hurt that reputation Saturday.

Baffling Clopton with her wicked trademark changeup, Essner did not allow a hit while striking out eight and walking two. Clopton's lone run came on a passed ball after a runner had originally reached base on a walk.

"They had a hard time with Marissa's changeup," said Kelly first-year head coach Melanie Heuring, whose team raised its record to 20-2 and dropped Clopton to 19-7. "It was a tough game. Clopton has a good team."

Kelly took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as Dana Essner singled and scored on a one-out double by Bridgett Riley.

After Clopton tied it in the sixth, the Lady Hawks took the lead for good with two in the bottom of the sixth. Natalie Lewer singled and Dana Essner reached on a bunt single. Then, after the runners moved up, Lewer scored on a wild pitch and Marissa Essner delivered an RBI single.

Dana Essner was the only Kelly player with two hits as the Lady Hawks finished with five hits.

"It's very exciting to be going (to the final four) again," Heuring said. "The girls have done a fantastic job all year."

Delta 2, Fair Play 0

Cook allowed just three hits while fanning seven and walking five as Delta improved to 8-13 and ended Fair Play's season at 18-6.

"Fair play was good. It's the best pitching we've seen, right up there with Kelly and Cape Central," said Delta coach Anne Trieb. "They (the Lady Bobcats) just played the best game I've ever seen them play and Rebecca pitched another great game."

Delta scored a run in the fourth inning as Andrea Dohogne delivered a double to plate Rebecca Below, who had struck out but reached on a wild pitch. The Lady Bobcats' other run came in the fifth as Stephanie Dannenmueller's sacrifice fly scored Cook, who had walked.

Erin Cook had two of Delta's six hits.

According to Trieb, the Lady Bobcats are the first Delta sports team to qualify for a state final four since the 1980 girls basketball squad.

"It's a great feeling, a little overwhelming I think," Trieb said. "The whole community is very excited."