Vetter blasts homer, but Kelly falls in softball semis

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Kelly senior catcher Kristen Vetter couldn't help but smile even through the disappointment and tears.

Her Hawks had lost to Warsaw 9-1 in their Class 2 semifinal Friday, but Vetter had been a hero for a moment and her fourth-inning blast proved to be a highlight of Kelly's final four trip.

With her team trailing 1-0, Vetter got all of a delivery from Warsaw's Kelly Wenberg and sent it over the fence for a tying homer.

"Oh my gosh," Vetter said, smiling at the memory. "I just saw it go up. I didn't know it went over until I heard coach Rat [Rhonda Ratledge] yelling and it was great."

The run was the first one given up by Warsaw in five postseason games.

Kelly's Michaela Gean, left, hugs teammate Kristen Vetter after her home run during the fourth inning of a Class 2 state semifinal game against Warsaw on Friday, Oct. 22, 2010, in Springfield, Mo. Kelly lost 9-1. (Kristin Eberts)

The Wildcats' offense rallied an inning later, putting up four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to earn a convincing victory.

"It was gone," Kelly coach Melanie Heuring said of the homer. "I wish we had a couple people on base, but she did a good job watching it in and putting it over the fence. In fact, I don't think that girl has allowed a home run all year either, so that's good."

According to the Missouri State High School Activities Association, the official final score was 10-1. MSHSAA credited Warsaw with five runs in the fifth inning, including a run scored by pinch-runner Brooklyn Hetherington.

Hetherington was stranded on third to end the inning, but attempts by Kelly coaches to notify MSHSAA of the mistake and have the official book corrected were rebuffed. The scoreboard read 9-1 at the end of the game.

Kelly spread out six hits in the game but couldn't stage a rally again Wenberg, who entered with a 1.27 ERA.

"She hasn't allowed very many runs all year long and we knew that coming in, knew she was a strong pitcher," Heuring said. "We knew we had to lay off that riseball and we just did not get the hits, but that's been our story, especially in the postseason."

Warsaw's only run off Kelly starter Kristen Powell in the first four innings came on a passed ball, but the Wildcats' offense figured out the senior in their final two at-bats.

"That was the third time they were seeing Powell," Heuring said. "I don't know if they were just getting used to her. They are a good hitting team if you look at their stats. They are a good hitting team and a lot of the games that they've played this year they were scoring 10 runs a ballgame."

Warsaw finished with 15 hits in the game, eight of which went for extra bases.

"It wasn't just little bloopers or singles, it was gap shots that were giving them doubles and triples," Heuring said.