Kelly softball team opens season with 6-1 win over Chaffee

~ Kelly softball team looks for another big season after reaching the Class 2 final four last year

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- It was the necessary first step for the Kelly Hawks to begin their softball season.

Junior Alexis Dock went the distance in the circle and finished with six strikeouts to lead Kelly to a 6-1 win over the host Chaffee Red Devils in both teams' season opener Tuesday at Frisco Park.

For Kelly (1-0), the victory marked the beginning of a journey to return to the Class 2 state tournament, where the Hawks saw last season come to an end in a 2-0 semifinal loss against South Calloway.

"You always want to win this one, your season opener, to try and help build from there, but you're still talking, learning and building on the things you did right and the things you did wrong," Kelly coach Rhonda Ratledge said. "You practice for 16 days here, and then you get that first game under your belt. You can do the same drills over and over, teach the same technique over and over, but have they learned it and have they utilized it in a real ball game?"

Kelly starter Alexis Dock pitches to a Chaffee batter during the first inning Tuesday in Chaffee, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

The Hawks capitalized on two errors and two sacrifice bunts to take an early two-run lead in the top of the second inning. Dock led off with a single, advanced to second base on an error and reached third on a sacrifice bunt by Shanda Reed. Stephanie Worth followed with another sacrifice bunt, scoring Dock and giving Kelly a 1-0 lead.

Thanks to another Chaffee (0-1) error, the Hawks were able to extend the inning, and Savannah Ashley added an RBI single to push Kelly's lead to 2-0 heading to the bottom of the frame.

"We had throwing errors with runners in key positions," Chaffee coach Joe Hendrix said. "We've got to eliminate that if we're wanting to make a run."

Despite getting three hits in the first two innings, the Red Devils weren't able to record another hit until the bottom of the sixth as Dock retired 10 consecutive batters.

"We really hit the ball well. We just hit it right at them," Hendrix said. "We couldn't get breaks. We hit the ball really hard. ... We still played a heck of a game against a good ball club."

Ratledge said she was pleased with her team's defensive poise.

"Defensively, we need to maintain that we are still playing, and we don't just rely on our pitcher because at any point in time, they can hit it right to you," Ratledge said. "We've got to make sure we're not sleeping, so you'll hear me hollering a lot to make sure they stay focused and awake."

Kelly added one run in each of the next three innings.

Morgan Ledure led off the third inning with a single and reached home on a bunt single from Dock, who finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs to power the Hawks' offense.

"I love hitting. It's probably my favorite part. I'd much rather be hitting than fielding, in all honesty," Dock said. "It felt good to be back at the plate and actually in a game instead of constant soft toss in practice."

A triple from Ashley helped Kelly's cause in the fourth inning. She scored on a ground out from McKynlee Neumeyer to give the Hawks a 4-0 lead.

Kelly took advantage of another Chaffee error in the fifth inning and led 5-0 heading into the sixth.

The Red Devils finished the game with four errors, but Hendrix believes it's nothing that can't be fixed.

"We should be able to get those kinks out," he said. "We played great defense. It's just a few throwing errors, and those few throwing errors are going to kill you every time."

Kelly's shutout bid ended in the bottom of the sixth inning. Chaffee's Abbi Brown led off with a single and moved into scoring position after Julia Sutterfield reached on a walk. Taylor Crites hit a two-out RBI single into right field to score Brown and cut the Red Devils' deficit to 5-1.

In the top of the seventh, Kelly put together a two-out rally and took a 6-1 lead as Kristi Brucker, Dock and Reed each had a single.

The Hawks finished with nine hits on the game, including a single from left-handed batter Sydney Kern, who Ratledge believes is a integral part to this year's team.

"She put the ball into play, and that's what I ask of her. She's a quick little runner, so she's doing a good job as well," Ratledge said about the freshman Kern. "Any time you have that lefty that can hit, slap and bunt, that can place that ball where you want it, that's a huge threat. Right now I've got two lefties in my lineup, which is wonderful."

Dock scattered five hits, allowed one run and had three walks to earn the win in the circle. She said she was nervous at first, allowing four base runners in the first two innings, but settled down for the rest of the game.

"[The win] gives us more confidence, boosts us up and makes us more excited, more motivated to keep on winning," Dock said. "Our defense was really good today. We were on point, and that's what we've been working on a lot this offseason."

Starting pitcher Kylie Wilhite suffered the loss for Chaffee. She went three innings and allowed four hits and two earned runs before being relieved by Carleigh Burnett, who pitched four innings, allowed five hits and three runs and had two strikeouts.

"I can't take anything away from our two girls in Kylie Wilhite and Carleigh Burnett," Hendrix said. "They really threw a heck of a game for us, especially Kylie being a freshman. She stepped up really big for us today. She threw three big innings for us, and Carleigh came in and did really well."

Dakota Pepple added a double, and Wilhite and Kaitlin McFerron each contributed a single for the Red Devils, who will face host Notre Dame at 4:30 p.m. today.

Kelly returns to action at 4 p.m. Thursday against host East Carter.