Lady Hawks riding momentum into the district tournament

Kelly's Heather Beggs tries to outrun the throw of Jackson pitcher Jessica Tuschoff (left) in the first inning Monday afternoon in Benton. Beggs was safe on the play. Looking on is Jackson third baseman and shortstop. (Photos by David Jenkins, Staff)

BENTON -- The last game of the regular season for the Kelly Lady Hawks meant that it was a special day for the senior class on the softball team. Luckily for them, they pulled out a close 3-2 win on the field on Monday afternoon against Jackson to finish their final regular season.

Katee Moore, Casey Kern, Heather Beggs, Brittany Brantley, Jessica Riley and Lana Whitworth were all recognized before the game.

Kelly's Katee Moore tags out Jackson's Ashley Cook during a rundown in the second inning Monday afternoon.

"It was a good win for them," Kelly head coach Rhonda Ratledge said about the seniors. "Lana (Whitworth) came up with a good hit to the fence with a double. Katee (Moore) had a good hit too. There were some good solid hits there but we just need to string them along a little bit better."

This win also meant that the Lady Hawks will be riding a two-game winning streak into district play.

"It's very important," Ratledge said about getting a win heading into districts. "There has been years where Jackson had came and got us on the last game of the season and the morale then is just a little bit more nerve racking. Now its time to focus on districts and focus on what we need. We'll come back and work out the kinks we had in this game and one's past."

The Lady Hawks got things rolling quick in the bottom of the first inning when Moore reached base first with a single through the middle of the infield. Two batters later, Kern worked out a walk and then stole an unoccupied second base which gave Danielle Dock and opportunity to give the team, as well as herself, and early lead. She delivered with a two-RBI single which gave her some runs to play with while working in the circle.

Neither Jackson or Kelly scored any more runs until the fifth inning. The Lady Indians tied the game at two when Hannah Thompson and Ashley Cook each crossed home plate.

But, the Lady Hawks answered right back in the bottom half of the inning.

Haley Glastetter led off with a single and then quickly stole second base. Kern then advanced her to third base when she grounded out to third.

With the go-ahead run standing in scoring position Dock came through again with an RBI single. That run eventually gave her and the Lady Hawks the win.

As far as her performance on the mound, Dock pitched all seven innings giving up two earned runs on three hits and four walks while striking out seven. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate and was responsible for all three of Kelly's runs crossing the plate.

Beggs also had two hits in three plate appearances and Whitworth had the only extra base hit for the Lady Hawks which was a double in the fourth inning.

Kelly (18-4) will be hosting the district tournament at Kelly High School on Thursday. The Lady Hawks were awarded the No. 1 seed in the tournament and received a bye for the first round. They will play their next game on Friday at 2 p.m.