Kelly's seniors earn their first trip to state's final four

The six seniors on the Kelly softball team were just one out away from reaching the state final four for the first time in their high school careers. One of those seniors, catcher Kristin Harper, had some last minute advice for another senior, pitcher Whitney Beggs.

"She told me not to try any tricky stuff," Beggs said.

Beggs went about her normal business and retired No. 9 hitter Jessica Murray on a grounder to senior Kelly Essner, and the Hawks earned their ticket to the Class 2 semifinals with a come-from-behind 4-2 victory against Richland on Saturday at the Kirkwood Athletic Association.

"As seniors, we have been waiting for his moment for a long time," Harper said. "I didn't want to get back to the top of the order again, so I told Whitney to go right after the batter. She was nervous, like everybody, at the start of the game. But by the end of the game it was the same Whitney I have caught all through the year. She put the ball right where I wanted it."

Kelly had to play from behind from the outset of the blustery day. Richland, the visiting team, jumped on top in the first inning. Leadoff batter Ashley Winter opened with a bunt single. She stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a passed ball.

Winter's speed also provided a manufactured run in the third. She again led off with a single, this time on a swinging bunt. She went to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on another groundout.

The Hawks, meanwhile, failed to score through the first four frames, leaving two runners on in the third and again in the fourth.

The Hawks did all of their damage in the fifth inning -- and all of it with two outs. Stephanie Hency, another one of the six seniors, led off with a single but was still at first with two outs.

Senior Jessica Burnett drove her in with a hit, and senior Rachel Kline followed with a walk. Beggs delivered the game-tying hit just in front of left-fielder Kristen Hawkins.

"We were getting tense and worried as the game went on and we were still behind," Beggs said. "But I felt confident as soon as we started getting runners on base, and as soon as we tied the game I knew we would win it."

Mindy Robert singled to load the bases and Brittany Ponder blooped a ball just out of the reach of Bears pitcher Nicole Struckhoff and in front of second baseman Heidi Shepherd. Two runs scored after Shepherd threw wildly to first base from the ground.

"Brittany is not an extra-base hitter but she usually puts the ball in play, and that is what we needed in that situation," Kelly coach Rhonda Ratledge said. "Everybody jumped on the bandwagon in that inning. We have rallied with two outs several times this season."

But none would have this kind of meaning.

Kelly goes back to the Class 2 semifinals for the first time since 2000. The Hawks lost in the quarterfinal round last year 2-1 to Jefferson City Blair Oaks after falling in the sectional round the previous year to Elsberry.

"This was our last chance as seniors, and we wanted it so badly," said Beggs, whose sisters Ashley and Megan played on state tournament teams. "Now I can say that I went to the state tournament."

Beggs allowed only the two infield singles to Winter. Only two balls hit by Richland left the infield. Beggs issued four walks, but she struck out nine.

"I thought Whitney threw well, especially in the windy conditions," Ratledge said. "I think it would have been a totally different game if not for the wind. I think the first ball we hit may have been a home run in different conditions."

The Hawks (23-6) will face Putnam County in a Class 2 semifinal game 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Purple Field at the Rainbow Softball Complex in Columbia, Mo. Putnam County defeated Eugene 5-1 in its quarterfinal contest.

"We are very excited and relieved to get this far," Ratledge said. "Our main goal all season was to get to the final four. Now that we have done that, we have to change our goal and try to win it."

Kelly 4, Richland 2

Richland 101 000 0 -- 2 2 1

Kelly 000 040 x -- 4 7 0

WP -- Whitney Beggs; LP -- Nicole Struckhoff. Multiple hits -- Kelly, Mindy Robert 2-3, Stephanie Hency 2-3. Records -- Richland 19-7, Kelly 23-6.