KELLY ESCORTS SCOTT CITY TO 2A EXIT

CHAFFEE -- Scott City was one out away from advancing in the Class 2A, District 2 tournament.

Only the out of doom didn't come in the seventh.

It came in the second.

After retiring the first two batters of the second inning, Scott City ace Bill Posey was cruising. But a pair of walks and two infield hits doomed the fifth-seeded Rams as No. 4 Kelly went on a two-out rally and scored four runs as the Hawks advanced to the semifinals with a 5-2 win over the Rams.

Kelly first baseman Jess Pattengill and Chase Deason started the rally, each drawing walks. Quenton Schaefer bunted safely, then Jamie Essner drove in a run with an infield single of his own before John Heuring provided the biggest hit of the day, a three-run double to left.

"We scored with some good timeliness today," said Kelly coach Mike Scott. "We got Pattengill and Deason to walk and Schaefer lays down a bunt single. And that's why Quenton is there. He's not the kind of guy who drives the ball, but he sets the table. All that with two outs was very big for us."

Scott City actually outhit Kelly 9-7, but the Rams left nine runners on base, while Kelly stranded just two.

Scott City got the upper hand in the first inning. Jacob Ressel, who has been scorching the ball in the past couple of weeks, pulled a ball over the right-field fence for a solo shot, giving the Rams a 1-0 lead. Scott City got two more hits in the inning and it appeared that the Rams were timing Essner perfectly.

Though Scott City got six more hits off Essner, the Rams never hit the ball as hard as they did in the first. Essner ended up allowing two runs, both earned, on nine hits an no walks in six innings pitched. He struck out one.

"When I made the decision of who to go with today," said Scott, "I had about three guys flirting all year long with the No. 2 spot in the rotation. I went to Jamie because I knew he'd throw strikes. He's more consistent with his control and if I'm going to get beat, I'm going to get beat with them hitting the ball, not on walks. He threw a lot of strikes and they did hit the ball, but we made the plays to minimize the runs."

"We just couldn't get the big hits," said Scott City coach Mike Umfleet. "They made a big play when it counted."

Justin Simpher, who will pitch today against Notre Dame in today's 2 p.m. semifinal game, came on in relief for the save. Simpher struck out two and walked one.

Kelly took a 4-1 lead into the fourth inning. Scott City cut its deficit to 4-2 in the fourth when Posey doubled and Charlie Lindberg provided an RBI single.

The Hawks tacked on their final run in the fifth when Essner turned on a pitch and sent it over the left-field wall for a solo home run.

The game, in general, was a well-played one. Both teams have suffered from shaky fielding this season, but there was only one error committed Monday and it did not lead to a run.

Posey, aside from the second inning, was masterful.

He went the distance and allowed six hits, struck out three and walked two.

"He's been throwing the ball for us all year," said Umfleet. "You take away the two walks and it's a different ballgame. And he was as frustrated with himself as anybody."

"Posey is as good as a pitcher as we've seen all year," said Scott.

Chaffee 16, Bloomfield 0

CHAFFEE -- G.P. Glueck, despite walking seven, cruised through Bloomfield's line up, allowing just one hit and striking out nine through five innings of work as Chaffee, the second seed, advanced to the semifinals where it will face No. 3 Woodland at 4 p.m. today.

Glueck was also in on the hitting parade. He went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in as the Red Devils (18-5) pounded out 15 hits.

Also for Chaffee, Tommy Stidham went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, Matt Stroup went 2-for-4, Travis Hanback went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Zac Horman also went 2-for-3.

Chaffee scored one run in the second, four in the third, three in the fourth and eight in the fifth.

"Glueck needed to get some work in case we need him later on in the tournament," said Chaffee coach Brian Horrell. "Stroup's starting tomorrow, but if we get into trouble, we're going to Stidham. If that happens, we'll need Glueck later on."

Woodland 10, East Prairie 0, six

CHAFFEE -- Woodland's Paul Long pitched a one-hit shutout as the Cardinals picked up a six-inning win over East Prairie.

Long struck out six and walked two.

Ryan Bandermann and C.W. Stacy each went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in for Woodland, which will play second-seeded Chaffee today upon the conclusion of the Kelly-Notre Dame game.