Kennett Indians Ground Kelly Hawks in Home Opener

There's nothing like baseball in Spring.

The Kennett High School baseball Indians hosted the Kelly Hawks for the 2024 season home opener.

The contest was a chess match between two fine programs.

The Indians started the game with hard-throwing senior, Aston Williams on the mound. Williams made quick work of the Hawks' batters in the first inning, striking out two.

Kennett jumped to an early lead in the bottom of the first when a walk was issued by the Hawks' pitcher, Dalton Forck, to Indians' senior second baseman JC Poole.

Poole stole second after a missed throw to first and later scored after stealing third, making the score 1-0 Indians.

Forck then was able to strike out Kennett senior Matt Gardner.

The second run of the game came from Kennett's Aston Williams who doubled at the start of the bottom of the fifth. Williams later scored on a wild pitch.

The Hawks came alive in the seventh and placed runners on first and second.

But it was too little too late for the Hawks, and Kennett prevailed when the game ended on an attempted steal.

On the mound at KennettPhoto by Tobias Ray

Kennett pitcher Aston Williams threw five innings with two hits, seven strikeouts, and one walk.

Kennett senior, Peyton Branum took over for Williams and pitched two innings, gave up three hits, and struck out two batters.

The only other hit recorded for the days game was a double by Kennett’s Matt Gardner.

Hawks pitcher Dalton Forck recorded 15 strikeouts in his performance on Saturday against the Indians.

Kennett Indians: two runs; two hits; three errors.

Kelly Hawks: No runs; five hits; 1 error.

Kennett plays away at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 19 at Poplar Bluff.

The Indians return home to play Dexter at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 20.