LOCAL PLAYERS NAMED TO ALL-STATE SOFTBALL TEAM

Kelly High School won the 1997 Missouri Class 2A Softball State Championship and saw its achievement further recognized as four players were placed on the 1997 Missouri All-State Softball team that was selected by the Princeton Post-Telegraph in Princeton, Mo.

Senior pitcher Kim Riley and senior third baseman Pam Essner were among the Kelly quartet, which also included junior second baseman Ashley Beggs and junior outfielder Natalie Robert. Kelly finished the season at 18-4, defeating Westran in the state championship game.

Cape Central, which finished 14-8, had three players named to the Class 4A all-state squad: senior first baseman Amy Harris, freshman shortstop Ashlie Voerg and freshman outfielder Amber Voerg.

Jackson junior Melissa Palmer was also named to the Class 4A team as a designated hitter/utility player.

Riley compiled a 13-3 record and posted a 2.10 E.R.A. In 108 1/3 innings, Riley faced 450 batters and walked just nine. She was also a force at the plate, batting .389 with 20 RBIs.

Essner led the Lady Hawks in batting with a .479 average, total hits with 34 and stolen bases with 16.

Robert batted .329 with 18 RBIs. She finished with four doubles and four triples.

Beggs compiled a .362 average and also finished with 18 RBIs. Nine of her 21 hits went for extra bases, including two home runs.

Harris, a three-year starter for Cape Central, batted .329 with 21 RBIs her senior season. A strong defensive player, Harris committed just six errors in 502 chances in four years of varsity play.

The Voergs, identical twins, posted nearly identical numbers for the Lady Tigers. Ashlie batted .432 and had a team-leading 35 hits with the Lady Tigers. She also had 22 RBIs and two home runs. Amber hit .405 with 23 RBIs. Among her hits were four triples.

Palmer batted .329 for Jackson while splitting time between first base and third base. She set a school record with 12 doubles among her 25 hits. She also had two triples.

Palmer knocked in a team-leading 19 RBIs for Jackson, which advanced to the Class 4A district finals and finished with a 15-10 record.