Kelly tops Poplar Bluff's late comeback, wins 5-4

~ The Hawks won their opener in the SEMO Conference tournament.

BENTON -- The Kelly Hawks topped Poplar Bluff's late comeback with one of their own for a 5-4 win in a first-round play-in game of the SEMO Conference baseball tournament Thursday.

Kelly (9-6), behind starter James Miller, took a 3-0 lead into the seventh inning before the Mules erupted for four runs.

Miller, cruising along with a four-hit, 10-strikeout effort, ran into trouble in the top of the seventh inning.

After hitting the leadoff batter, Miller came back to strike out the next two hitters, but a fielding error on a routine grounder kept Poplar Bluff alive.

A second hit batsman followed by a bases-loaded single scored two runs, cutting the margin to 3-2.

"James Miller threw a great game for us," Kelly coach Cory Johnson said. "He got a little tired in that last inning and that's my fault for trying to get him the complete game and the shutout."

Bryce Faulkner came on in relief with runners on first and third and gave up a run-scoring single which was misplayed in the outfield, allowing the lead run to cross the plate as Poplar Bluff, the 10th seed, went up 4-3.

Faulkner, the eventual winning pitcher, induced a comebacker to end the inning.

Kelly, the seventh seed, got its comeback rally started with Levi Felter's one-out infield single.

Poplar Bluff starter Cameron Pickard was pulled for Taylor Boles, who struck out the first batter he faced but was unable to retire another Hawk batter.

With runners at first and second, Boles suddenly lost command of the strike zone.

Dustin LeGrand walked to load the bases, then Faulkner's free pass plated Felter with the game-tying run.

Josh DeBrock, with a 3-2 count, worked a base on balls to score the game-winning run, dropping Poplar Bluff to 3-12.

"The big thing was that we didn't put our heads down and quit," Johnson said. "We came back and battled and scratched out those two runs for the win."

Kelly, a winner of five straight and sixth of its last seven, advances to the second round against No. 2-seed Central today at 4 p.m.

Kelly suffered a 15-5 loss to Central earlier this season.

Poplar Bluff 000 000 4 -- 4 5 3

Kelly 210 000 2 -- 5 9 2

WP -- Bryce Faulkner. LP -- Taylor Boles. Multiple hits -- Kelly, Levi Felter 2-3, Dallas Tew 2-4, Ross Lasiter 2-4. Poplar Bluff, Todd Bullington 2-4. Records -- Kelly (9-6), Poplar Bluff (3-12).