March 25, 2016
Kelly's late surge leads to rout over East Prairie
Combining for 12 runs in the final three innings alone the Hawks blew past the Eagles for their first win of the season while putting an end to East Prairie's undefeated start to the year.
By Brent Shipman ~ Standard Democrat
sports@standard-democrat.com
EAST PRAIRIE -- After being shutout in their first two games of the season, the Kelly Hawks broke out the bats against host East Prairie on Friday.
Combining for 12 runs in the final three innings alone the Hawks blew past the Eagles for their first win of the season, 15-2, while putting an end to East Prairie's undefeated start to the year.
"I know we're capable of hitting and we're heavy with seniors and a couple juniors with experience," Kelly head coach Justin McAlister said. "We started out the year with Jackson and Sikeston and I do that for a reason. We saw the Jackson's (Colton) Weber and (Trent) Sidwell from Sikeston, so solid pitching in the high 80's. I do that in hopes that some of this other pitching comes a tad bit easier."
Two scoreless innings gave way to a three-run top of the third that put the Hawks on top for good. A line-drive single from Jacob McClain with the bases loaded put Kelly on the board and a walk to Kyle Fitzgerald forced in another run.
Levi Alsup's sacrifice fly to right completed the rally and gave Hawk's starting pitcher Ty Householder some room to work.
Householder got out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the third with back-to-back called third strikes and Kelly's offense soon blew the game open.
Four runs in the top of the fifth led to an Eagle pitching change to start the sixth. Despite the change, the Hawks put up another four runs to put the mercy rule in effect, 11-0, heading into the bottom of the sixth.
"I thought we did a good job against (East Prairie starter Dalton Coots), working the count and getting timely hits," McAlister said. "I think we just had some at bats where we worked the count. I told the boys you could tell he was getting a little frustrated and then we got a couple timely hits and you know how high school kids are. When that happens they tend to spiral south. We rattled him a little, but he's a good pitcher. I was impressed."
A leadoff single from Derez Tipler helped ignite a two-run rally from the Eagles in the bottom of the inning to keep the game alive.
A Coots single brought Tipler home to put East Prairie on the board and a Kasten Campbell bloop to shallow left field made it 11-2 to take the mercy-rule out of effect.
A third straight four-run outburst in the top of the seventh by Kelly kept the Eagles from getting within striking distance, however, and made up the 15-2 final.
"Kelly hit the ball, period" Eagles' head coach Jason Aycock said. "Pitching-wise, Coots couldn't really get his first strike down. He was always working from behind really. That's what we have to do a better job of. If he can get out there and get that first strike then he can work it. But then they were sitting on a fastball all day up there and took advantage of that."
Kelly (1-2) out-hit East Prairie (3-1) on the game 14-6 with a brilliant day from No. 3 hitter McClain leading the way. McClain went a perfect 5 for 5 with five runs-batted-in and three runs scored.
Jonathan Tyler was 3 for 4 and Nathan Vicenzi added two hits and a walk to the cause.
For the Eagles, Tipler was 3 for 4 with two doubles while batting leadoff and also scored a run. East Prairie's top four hitters collected all six hits while their bottom five went a combined 0 for 9.
Householder went the full seven innings, allowing two earned runs to pick up the win. He gave up six hits and three walks while striking out seven, including the side in the second inning.
"He couldn't get his curveball over, but that makes it that much more of a good outing," McAlister said of Householder. "He didn't didn't have his breaking stuff and was still only gave up two runs. I ran him back out there for the seventh because he talked me into it.
"He wanted to finish it off. We know when he goes out he'll always give us a chance to win."
Kelly 003 044 4 - 15
East Prairie 000 002 0 - 2
WP -- Ty Householder. LP -- Dalton Coots. Multiple hitters: (K) Nathan Vicenzi 2-4, Jacob McClain 5-5, Jonathan Tyler 3-4; (E) Derez Tipler 3-4, Dalton Coots 2-3. 2B -- (E) Tipler 2.
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