Scott City softball team tops Kennett to claim Softball Fest title

Scott City coach Lance Amick couldn't even remember the name of the wrestler he'd quoted before his team took the field for the championship game of the Scott City Softball Fest on Saturday night.

It'd been a long day at the ballpark and he was still thinking about the performance of his players against the Kennett Indians.

The pregame quote, "To be the man you've got to beat the man," was made famous by wrestler Ric Flair, but it was the Rams (17-2) who finally felt like they'd done just that by knocking off their nemesis Kennett 2-0 to claim the title of their own tournament.

Scott City's Bella Bowers rounds third base on her way to scoring against Kennett on a double by Jamie Glastetter during the third inning in the championship game of the Scott City Softball Fest Saturday, April 23, 2016 in Scott City.Fred Lynch

"That's something we talk about all the time. For us to ever be considered like we're up there with Kennett, we're eventually going to have to beat them," Amick said. "It's not good enough to play with them. It's not good enough to lose valiantly. Eventually you're going to have to knock them off if you want to be up in that echelon of softball. I feel like we took a step in the right direction today."

The Indians have halted the Rams' hopes of a state title the past two seasons before gone advancing to win the spring championship both times.

Kennett defeated the Rams 9-1 in a Class 1 quarterfinal last May en route to its second consecutive state title. The Indians topped Scott City 4-1 in a state semifinal the year before.

"You kind of feel like the monkey's off your back," Amick said. "Kennett's kind of been a thorn in our side for a few years and I think it's a step in the right direction for our program. The girls are excited, the town's excited. It was a good day of ball, a good tournament."

Scott City's Jamie Glastetter doubles in a run against Kennett during the third inning in the championship game of the Scott City Softball Fest Saturday, April 23, 2016 in Scott City.Fred Lynch

The two teams met earlier this season with Kennett defeating the Rams 4-1. Amick said both games were similar, but his team finally came through with the big hits that it didn't make the first time around.

The Rams got on the board in the top of the third. Bella Bowers led off with a bunt single and scored on a two-out double to left by Jamie Glastetter.

Kennett threatened in the home half with a two-out single by pitcher Madi Parr, who advanced to second on a ball in the dirt, but a strikeout stranded her.

The Indians got a runner on first in the fourth and fifth before starter Kaileigh Dirden and the Rams retired them in order in the final two innings.

Both Amick and Kennett coach Laurie Vaughan praised Scott City's defense. Vaughan said it was the key to the game and that the Rams were even surprised by some of the catches they made.

Scott City shortstop Valerie Bahr tags out Kennett's Anna Wheeler at second base during the first inning in the championship game of the Scott City Softball Fest Saturday, April 23, 2016 in Scott City.Fred Lynch

Bowers threw out Kennett leadoff hitter Anna Wheeler trying to steal second to end the first.

Madison Thompson tracked down a deep fly ball off the bat of Hannah Criswell, who'd homered in the last meeting between the two teams, to start the bottom of the fourth.

The next batter singled before Valerie Bahr fielded a ball at short, quickly stepped on second and threw to first for the inning-ending double play.

Rylee Venable ended the sixth with a diving catch in left.

"We talk about making the plays, but sprinkling in a few extra special plays now and then can obviously spur a big rally and definitely play havoc with the momentum from the other team when it goes against them," Amick said of the defense.

Dirden gave the Rams some insurance when she sent a 1-2 pitch to left that landed at the train tracks on a hill overlooking the field for the final score.

"What can you say about that ball Kaileigh hit?" Amick said, shaking his head. "That's a bomb. That ball went every bit of 300 feet."

The freshman pitcher picked up the complete-game win in the circle. She allowed six hits, did not walk a batter and struck out seven in the shutout.

"She trains all year for moments like this," Amick said. "And she's really been a part of the season last year as an eighth grader as a manager and she's kind of seen the Kennett games and that's something she wanted to be a part of because it is a special rivalry."

Parr took the loss for Kennett. She gave up nine hits, recorded 11 strikeouts and didn't issue a walk in seven innings of work.

"This was a tough loss for us," Vaughan said. "I thought we did some things extremely well, but they did some things extremely well, too, and they came out on top today."

Scott City 001 000 1 -- 2 9 0

Kennett 000 000 0 -- 0 6 0

WP -- Kaileigh Dirden. LP -- Madi Parr. HR -- Dirden (SC). 2B -- Jamie Glastetter (SC), Madison Thompson (SC). Multiple hits -- Scott City: Dirden 2-4, Tori Buckner 2-3.