LINN ENDS KELLY'S HOPES OF REPEATING AS 2A CHAMPIONS

ST. LOUIS -- Kelly's reign as Missouri Class 2A champion is over.

The Lady Hawks ran into Linn's Megan Nikolenko - a right-hander with a 21-2 record including five no-hitters this season - in a Class 2A quarterfinal contest Saturday at Forestwood Park.

Nikolenko allowed two hits to give the Lady Wildcats a 2-1 win.

Kelly, the Class 2A champ last year and runner-up the year before, finished the season 15-8. Linn, a first-time semifinalist, is 21-5.

"Our pitching was outstanding all year," Linn coach Renee Heidger said. "I told my girls before the game that experience was the only edge they had on us."

Kelly nearly pulled it out. Down to its last strike in the seventh inning, Kelly saw Julie Milam triple down the right field line. The next batter, Nicole Kern, reached on an error, scoring Milam.

But Nikolenko induced a ground ball to third base for the final out.

"I was nervous," Nikolenko said. "But I knew my defense was strong behind me."

An unusual "illegal pitch call" gave Linn the first run of the game in the second inning. Jessica Wilson, who reached on an error, scored from third base when Kelly starter Brittany Lambert (7-5) replanted her foot before throwing a pitch to Kristan Hassler, a rule violation which awards either a ball to the batter or an extra base to a runner.

Neither team generated much offense. Natalie Robert had Kelly's first hit, a single, in the fourth innings. She was stranded.

Lambert, meanwhile, kept it close. She allowed one hit in five innings before being removed for right-hander Marissa Essner in the sixth.

"She had good movement on the ball and good speed change," Kelly coach Rhonda Evans said. "They never did get a good, solid hit off of her."

Essner was touched for one run in the sixth inning, on a two-out single to left-center by Mikolenko. Abby Loethen, who had walked, scored what proved to be the winning run.

"We don't score a bunch of runs," Heidger said.

Milam's triple in the seventh at first provided a temporary reprieve for the defending champs.

"I was almost sick (from nervousness)," Milam said. "When I got to third, I thought I was going to throw up."

And when Kern, pinch-hitting for right fielder Cheryl Barnett, hit a soft liner that was dropped in right field, the reprieve became a threat.

But Nikolenko, a strong college prospect who struck out five in the game, proved to be too much.

"We feel like you always have a chance," Evans said. "These girls are fighters. We got (to the quarterfinals) for the 13th (consecutive) year, and that's something we're proud of."