Menu
Lady Hawks on point in season opener
BENTON -- The Kelly Lady Hawks didn't waste any time jumping on top of Chaffee Friday in their season opener.
Scoring five runs in the first inning alone, the Lady Hawks pounded out 13 hits against the Lady Red Devils en rout to a 15-0 win in four innings via the mercy rule.
"We were ready for a game," Kelly head coach Rhonda Ratledge said. "After 14 practices in a row you want a game to see what you need to work on. I was real proud.
"Even the girls that I put in the last two innings stepped up whether it was on the field or at the plate and did a good job. All 14 girls were ready today."
With starting pitcher Kristi Brucker cruising, Kelly added to their lead in each of the first three innings, scoring a combined seven runs in the second and third innings to go up 12-0.
It was in the bottom of the fourth when the Lady Hawks closed things with clutch hits from Abby Sutton and Alexis Dock.
Sutton, serving as a pinch-hitter, came up with a pair of runners on and two outs and hit a bases clearing single down the right field line.
Dock came to the plate next and sent the crowd home with a walk-off triple to deep left centerfield that plated Sutton to make up the 15-0 final.
"It's good to see that," Ratledge said of her team's offense performance. "I was also glad to see good base running skills. I've seen that in practice so I was real anxious to see it live in a game.
"It always helps to get that first game under your belt and get going."
Besides going all four innings in the circle, Brucker led Kelly at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a double and triple. She also drove in two runs and scored another three while coming just a home run shy of a cycle.
Morgan LeDure and McKynlee Neumeyer had two hits each.
Brucker also pitched a complete game where she allowed only one hit without surrendering a walk. She struck out five and retired the final seven batters she faced.
"She kept them a little off balance with that rise ball several times," Ratledge said of Brucker. "Those girls were going after her rise ball and it was working beautifully today. It was coming in and rising at the right spot.
"She had a one-hitter. That's not bad coming out for your opening game."
Kelly will look to keep things going Friday when they host East Carter at 4 p.m.
Chaffee 000 0 - 0
Kelly 534 3 - 15
WP -- Kristi Brucker. LP -- Hannah Seyer. Multiple hitters: (K) Kristi Brucker 3-3, Morgan LeDure 2-3, McKynlee Neumeyer 2-2. 2B -- (K) Brucker, Stephanie Worth. 3B -- (K) Alexis Dock, Brucker.