Kelly softball team surrenders three-run first, falls 3-2 to St. Pius

FESTUS, Mo. -- St. Pius put up three runs in the bottom of the first inning.

It was all the runs the Lancers needed to dethrone defending Class 2 District 2 softball champion Kelly.

St. Pius slipped into the championship game with a 3-2 victory in the semifinals Thursday.

"I knew that was going to be a key for us," St. Pius coach Kevin Halley said. "We struggle defensively sometimes. I think [we came in] knowing a key for us would be to come out and get off to a strong start against a team like Kelly. They're young this year, but they're tradition rich and those kids know how to win. And I think we had to do that. I really wish we hadn't sat on three runs, but our pitcher made it stand up. She did a hell of a job today."

St. Pius retired Kelly in the first inning and immediately made its move.

Speedy leadoff hitter Ashley Marks tripled to right-center field to set the tone.

Kelly pitcher Kristi Brucker coaxed a ground out from Haley Martin that kept Marks at third, but the next batter, Kelley Conway, hit a ground out to shortstop that gave St. Pius a 1-0 lead.

Holly Magre then started a two-out rally with a single. She advanced to second on an error, and Caroline Basler followed with a single. Basler then moved up with a steal to put runners at second and third with two out.

Kathryn Chamberlain made Kelly pay with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead.

"They hit us basically," Kelly coach Rhonda Ratledge said. "The first batter led off with a triple, we held her there for two outs, but they opened it back up. If you take away the first inning, it's a heck of a ballgame."

Kelly responded immediately with two runs in the second.

Stephanie Worth led off with a single. Samantha Ratledge reached on an error, and an RBI squeeze bunt by Morgan LeDure scored Worth. A single by Marissa Menz scored Ratledge.

"Huge," coach Ratledge said about the second inning. "I really thought building on that we would come back that next inning and try to produce again. We just couldn't get the ball out of the infield."

Ratledge said the offense needed more than bunts and passed balls.

"You have to be able to produce and hit those line-drive shots," coach Ratledge said. "Up and down the lineup we just struggled right there. We put it in play, but just never could get that yellow ball to the green."

That was the last of the scoring for either team.

Both teams managed only six hits.

Kelly struggled to build a rally with its infield hits.

"I think we were just so far out in front and on our front foot -- not sitting back and focusing and driving it," coach Ratledge said. "We just didn't drive the ball like we should have. We were just so antsy and ready to hit."

Part of the problem was Lancers pitcher Holly Magre, a junior who struck out five Hawks and did not allow a walk.

"My best pitch for strikeouts has definitely been my knuckleball," Magre said. "But the team helped a lot and made a lot of good plays behind me."

"She struggled at times this year, but over the past week or so she's come up big," Halley said. "She's throwing her best ball of the year right now and that can only mean good things for us. She did a tremendous job today. I can't speak highly enough of the job she did today."

Brucker, a freshman, kept the Hawks in the game. She settled in after the rough first and limited St. Pius to two hits over the final five innings.

"She just kept moving the ball in and out," coach Ratledge said. "She threw a couple of changeups, which they tagged one or two of those. But she kept trying to keep the ball low and kept moving it."

The Lancers hit a few balls hard, but the Hawks had them played perfectly.

"She was moving the ball around," Halley said about Brucker. "She did a really good job of moving the ball around. I think we took advantage of some pitches that I don't think she really wished she'd have thrown in the first inning. But we hit balls hard all day long, but we hit them right at people on a couple of occasions."

The future looks bright for Kelly with six freshmen, two sophomores and five juniors on the squad.

"We are looking forward to the future because I start four freshmen and a sophomore," coach Ratledge said. "So really five of them should be playing [junior varsity]. I got some more good girls coming up. I'm very excited about where we are."

Kelly 020 000 0 -- 2 6 1

St. Pius 300 000 X -- 3 6 3

WP -- Holly Magre. LP -- Kristi Brucker. 3B -- Ashley Marks (SP). Multiple hits: Kelly, Sydney Vinyard 2-4. Brucker 2-3. St. Pius, Marks 2-3.