Kelly softballers third at Jackson Invitational

JACKSON -- The Kelly Lady Hawks placed third in the Jackson Invitational Softball Tournament on Saturday.

Cape Girardeau's Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs, a season-long Kelly nemesis, knocked the Hawks out of championship contention with a 9-5 semifinal win in extra innings.

Notre Dame has been responsible for all three of the Hawks' losses, each in tournament play. Kelly currently has 18 wins with one more shot at the Bulldogs upcoming in a regular-season matchup on Sept. 25.

Notre Dame (19-2) finished second, suffering a 4-2 loss to champion Seckman in the final.

Kelly defeated Sullivan 3-2 in the third-place game. Casey Kern picked up the win with a two-hitter. Summer Proctor (2-for-3, triple), Sarah Ruff (1-3, double and RBI) and Ashley Fedder (1-3, double and RBI) led the Hawks' offense.

Against Notre Dame, Kelly jumped to a 3-0 lead, then fell behind 5-3 when the Bulldogs plated five runs in the fifth inning. Kelly tied it at 5 with two runs in the sixth, a score that stood through regulation. Then in extra innings, Notre Dame scored four in the eighth for the victory.

Kalie Hughes took the loss, going the distance and allowing 13 hits.

Katee Moore and Ruff paced the Hawks with two hits apiece. Ruff drove home three runs. Hughes went 1-for-4 with two RBIs.

Hughes tossed a two-hitter to pick up the win in a 4-1 decision over Cor Jesu in the Hawks' tournament opener. Kelly stroked five hits led by Hughes' RBI triple, a triple from Moore and a RBI double from Ruff.

Next up, Kelly defeated Nerinz Hall 6-1 with Kern earning the win on a six-

hitter.

Leading hitters for Kelly were Londyn Backfisch (2-for-4, bases loaded double, three RBIs), Kern (2-for-4, RBI), Hughes (2-for-3, RBI) and Brittany Ponder (2-for-4, RBI).