Menu
'Forck' in the road
Hawks blank New Madrid County Central
BENTON -- For his team's first game of the season, Kelly head coach Josh Eftink turned to senior Brent Forck to take the mound against New Madrid County Central.
Forck rewarded the Hawks with six innings of shutout ball Thursday as Kelly took down the Eagles, 10-0, in sixth innings on the mercy rule.
"The thing that helps Brent is he throws a lot of strikes," Eftink said about Forck. "He works pretty quick as well so our defense was out there making plays and they stayed in the game.
"You throw strikes on a cold day like this and you can keep yourself in the game."
Forck allowed only four hits and a walk in his complete game effort while striking out three. He was aided by a defense that only committed one error and also caught a runner trying to stretch a single into a double for a crucial out.
"I was throwing a lot of strikes and was confident with everything I was throwing," said Forck, who retired the Eagles in order in three straight innings. "The defense made some pretty awesome plays for us too. I hope it carries over and we keep going."
Also helping Forck out was a particularly strong performance by Kelly's offense. Led by Aaron Grainger's 3 for 4 performance, the Hawks collected a total of six hits and 11 walks to score in all but the third inning.
Serving as leadoff hitter, Grainger gave Kelly a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when he reached on a walk before scoring on a passed ball. Back up in the second inning, Grainger hit the first of his three doubles on the game to bring in the first two runs of a four-run rally.
A Gaven Ray single and ensuing error drove in another run before a rundown at second base allowed Ray to score from third to give the Hawks a 5-0 advantage.
"It was great to see us come out big being our home opener and the first game of the season," Grainger said. "It was great to see us swing the bats well."
Runs in both the fourth and fifth frames allowed the Hawks to push out by seven entering the sixth.
After shutting the Eagles down in the top of the sixth, Kelly went to work closing out the game.
NMCC manufactured it's best scoring opportunity in the top of the frame when Tripp Keene and Dylan Milisits led things off with back-to-back singles.
Despite having runners on first and second with no outs, the Eagles were unable to bring anyone home as Kelly kept the shutout intact with three straight outs.
Needing only three runs to enact the mercy rules in the bottom of the sixth, Gabe Felter led off the inning getting hit by a pitch and after a couple of walks the bases were loaded.
A ground out brought in the first run of the rally before Grainger stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. Roping a drive into deep centerfield, Grainger wound up with a walk-off double as it scored the final two runs needed.
"We just didn't compete today," Eagles head coach Joseph McClarty said. "It's like I told the guys, I don't mind getting beat, but I want to compete and we didn't compete today.
"Hopefully with it being early in the season we'll never see this again."
Besides Forck's three hits, others aiding the Hawks' cause included Felter with a double while Ray and Ty Householder had a single each.
For NMCC, Logan Frazier had the team's only extra-base hit, a double, with Keene, Milisits and Austin Godwin contributing a single each.
Next up, the Eagles will host Scott City today at 4:30 p.m., weather permitting while Kelly will host Chaffee Monday at 4 p.m.
NMCC 000 000 -- 0
Kelly 140 113 -- 10
WP -- Brent Forck. LP -- Josh Reed. Multiple hitters: (K) Aaron Grainger 3-4. 2B -- (N) Logan Frazier; (K) Grainger 3, Gabe Felter.