Rally for third falls short for Kelly in softball third-place game

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Kelly softball team's postseason rally came up short this time, and the Hawks found themselves on the losing end of a one-run contest.

Kelly, playing in its astounding 15th one-run game of the season, lost 7-6 to Brookfield in the Class 2 third-place game Friday.

The Hawks trailed 7-1 after five innings before attempting to rally over the final two innings.

"Like I said, they've been my comeback girls all year long, but we couldn't quite get it done today," Kelly coach Melanie Heuring said.

Kelly committed nine errors in the game, including four in the first inning, which led to five runs for Brookfield.

Kelly's Kristen Vetter retires Brookfield's Ashlyn Cupp at home plate during the first inning Friday. (Kristin Eberts)

"Errors killed us at first," Kelly pitcher Kristen Powell said. "We came back, but without the errors, I think the outcome would have been different. At least we fought back."

Heuring agreed.

"If we just didn't have those errors in that first inning, they definitely would've gone home with that third-place trophy, but they did make a good comeback and I'm real proud of them," she said.

Powell provided the spark for her team's comeback attempt with a three-run inside-the-park home run in the sixth inning.

"We should have been hitting this little pitcher and we weren't," Heuring said of Brookfield starter Samantha Overton. "I don't know why we weren't."

Kelly's Sydney Vinyard hits a single during the second inning of a Class 2 state third place softball game against Brookfield on Friday, Oct. 22, 2010, in Springfield, Mo. Kelly lost 7-6, placing fourth in the state.

Powell said the mood in the dugout changed after the home run.

"I think that pepped us up some and kept us going because we seemed down and all negative," Powell said. "I don't know why. I guess the errors got us down early, but whenever that happened we started to get up and felt like we were still in it."

Overton walked the next two batters and had to be replaced by Alesa Frey.

"They had smiles on their faces out there," Heuring said. "I could tell they were within reach and they could come back because they've done it so many times this year."

Kelly's offense was aided by five Brookfield errors, three of which came in the sixth and seventh innings.

Kelly's Jade Rampley, from left, Kristen Vetter and Haley Glastetter react to the team's loss to Brookfield in the Class 2 third-place game Friday in Springfield, Mo. (Kristin Eberts)

Jade Rampley and Kristen Vetter led off the bottom of the seventh inning with back-to-back single and both eventually came around to score to pull the Hawks within a run.

Haley Glastetter, who reached on an error, and Sydney Vinyard, who coaxed a walk, were stranded at second and third to end the game.

"It was tough because I saw our team playing in the championship game," Powell said. "All week I saw our team playing in the championship game and I didn't really think about the opposite. I thought we'd be in that game and it kind of sucked, but at least we're here."

Powell was one of four seniors on Kelly's 11-player rosters who helped turn what was billed as a rebuilding year into another final four appearance.

"I love how we basically proved everybody wrong," Powell said. "People didn't even think we'd make it past the first round of districts, so I'm glad we're here, but I wish we would have done better while we were here."

Kelly's Sydney Vinyard makes a catch during the first inning of Friday's Class 2 third-place game.

A fourth-place finish will serve as motivation for the rest of the roster.

"It's a good experience," Heuring said. "If nothing else maybe these younger girls will get a taste of what it's like and be hungry to come back again."

Rampley, just a freshman, was confident she had not played her last game at the final four.

"Yes, we'll be back," she said. "Three more years right in a row."