TOP-SEEDED KELLY SURVIVES GAME WOODLAND SQUAD 5-2

CHAFFEE -- For the No. 5 seed in a seven-team tournament, the Woodland Cardinals put up quite a fight against top-seeded Kelly in a semifinal game of the Class 2A, District 2 tournament Wednesday.

Woodland (14-4) had the tying run at first base in the bottom of the seventh with one out, but couldn't bring the runner around as the Hawks (19-4) survived with a 5-2 win.

Jamie Essner came on to record the last two outs after starter Justin Simpher walked two consecutive batters with one out.

Essner walked the first batter he faced, but then struck out Woodland cleanup hitter Chris Jordan then induced starter Paul Long to fly out to center with the bases loaded to end the game.

Kelly coach Mike Scott was not surprised that Woodland was so competitive.

"They've got good pitching," Kelly coach Mike Scott said. "They just manhandled Scott City, a team that we struggled against this year. But our hitters were a little flat today."

Simpher and Woodland starter Danny Lincoln both pitched well.

Lincoln was hurt in the first inning after he walked the first two batters. Both eventually scored on a two-run single by Jason Glastetter.

In all, Lincoln gave up seven hits and eight costly walks in seven innings of work. Four walked batters scored runs for Kelly. Lincoln fanned nine.

As for Simpher, he went 6 2/3 innings and gave up five hits and five walks, while striking out four and hitting a batter.

Kelly scored a run in the second on an error to take a 3-0 lead, then stretched its lead to 4-0 in the third when Glastetter scored on a wild pitch.

Woodland cut the lead to 4-1 in the third when Lincoln singled home Joey Grippo. The Cardinals tacked on another run off an infield single by Grippo in the bottom of the fourth.

Woodland coach Barry Stafford offered nothing but praise for his team, which loses just one player to graduation.

"It was a great season," Stafford said. "It was more than I ever expected. These kids came out and worked hard every day and got better every day."

Glastetter and Jim Hulshof each had two hits for Kelly. Lincoln and Grippo each had a pair of hits for Woodland.