Saxony Lutheran softball drops East Prairie to reach first ever district final, Kelly takes out Jefferson in other semifinal

Saxony Lutheran's Bailey Steffens advances to third base during the third inning of a Class 2 District 3 semifinal against East Prairie on Thursday in Benton, Missouri. The Crusaders won 15-3 in five innings.

Fred Lynch

BENTON, Mo. -- The Saxony Lutheran softball team knew what stood between it and a first-ever shot at a district championship -- a very familiar East Prairie squad.

The two teams had played three times this season, with the Crusaders holding a 2-1 edge in a trio of games that featured 60 total runs.

On Thursday, the sides met for a fourth and final time, with second-seeded Saxony bringing its bats but also making the necessary plays in the pitching circle and on defense to drop No. 3 East Prairie 15-3 in five innings in a Class 2 District 3 semifinal at Thomas W. Kelly High School.

The result vaulted the Crusaders (8-18) into the district final against host Kelly at 4 p.m. today.

"We've never played for a district title. This is the first time," Saxony coach Mark Lewis said. "It says a lot about the girls. There were times we didn't play well but they kept their heads together and came down and played a good ball game. There was a lot of energy and a great effort all around."

Saxony Lutheran's Zoie Roth drives in a run against East Prairie during the second inning of a Class 2 District 3 semifinal on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017 at Kelly High School.

Fred Lynch

The game turned in the bottom of the second inning, when Saxony reeled off seven runs -- four before East Prairie (3-19) could manage an out -- thanks to six hits and an error. That made the score 9-0, and put the Crusaders in a position to control the game without much pressure.

Having already clashed with East Prairie three times, Lewis knew that getting into that position would be critical.

"It's (been) whoever has played better and come out and grabbed the lead early and come out from there," Lewis said.

"They've got a good ball club and we were fortunate to get some base hits and get a lead early and that allowed us to relax and probably allowed us to do more. It's easy to play when you're winning 8- or 9-0; it's easy to hit. So I think that was the big thing -- getting ahead early and Zoie (Roth) throwing strikes early and getting ahead."

Roth got the win in the pitcher's circle, allowing three runs -- two earned -- on four hits in five innings of work, with two strikeouts and three walks. She stranded two runners in scoring position in the top of the first inning, which proved critical when Saxony took advantage of three consecutive base hits sandwiched by a pair of errors to go up 2-0 in the bottom of the inning.

Roth then sat down the next six batters she faced, and by then the Crusaders were sitting on a large cushion.

"We knew we had to do everything pretty much perfect," East Prairie coach Steve Stokes said. " ... I thought their pitcher pitched good, she didn't walk a lot of people. We knew we had to hit the ball and play defense, and the first few innings our defense was not as good as it needed to be.

"The first couple innings, take those away and I thought we played better, but it's one of those things that once we made a mistake it just kept snowballing."

The game-changing second inning saw Saxony begin with back-to-back-to-back hits from Mackenzie Robinson, Amber Langston and Casey Kester, before Bailey Steffens reached on an error. At that point the score was 4-0, and things further unraveled when the Eagles couldn't get a throw in from the outfield -- allowing another run to score -- a fielder's choice failed and London Lorenz was plunked by a pitch to load the bases.

East Prairie finally got an out, but Callie Brown then sailed a two-run double to center field to cap the inning's scoring.

Steffens finished 3-for-4 with four runs scored and two driven in for the Crusaders, Roth went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI and Langston was 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and one driven in out of the 9-hole.

Kester and Unterreiner also had two hits each for the No. 2 seed.

Saxony extended its lead in the bottom of the third, when Roth drove in Steffens with a double to left field for a 10-0 advantage.

The Eagles finally broke their drought in the top of the fourth, as Chanie Moreland singled and later scored on a one-out base hit by Faith Archie. Adalyn Byasee walked and was eventually plated on a bases-loaded free pass to Emma Pearson.

A one-out single by Bella McCutchen plated East Prairie's final run of the inning and cut the gap to 10-3, but Roth stranded the bases loaded and kept things from getting worse.

"We've been up and down different times of the year with our pitching and defense," Lewis said. "Our hitting is probably been the most consistent. But today Zoie pitched well and we were able to make some key plays. Amber (Langston) made a nice running catch and we got some ground balls early in the inning. When you get outs early in the inning it makes a big difference."

The Crusaders tacked on another five runs on five hits and an error in the bottom of the fourth.

" ... Those first few innings against a team that's about at your level, it's tough to give that up like that," Stokes said.

"Every game we've played we've been back and forth. We did beat them last time we played, so I think that may have been a little [motivation] for them and they wanted a little revenge. You kind of expected that."

Grace Sutton took the pitching loss for East Prairie, allowing 15 runs -- 12 earned -- on 16 hits with a pair of walks in four innings.

Moreland went 2-for-3 for the Eagles.

Saxony will now face a Kelly side that has defeated it twice this season, 16-0 and 11-1.

"You've got to play clean defensively and make them earn their runs," Lewis said. "That's probably the biggest thing. And we've got to swing the bats like we did today. ... I know it's different pitching, but you've got to stay with them and keep pressure on them."

Kelly 12, Jefferson 2

In the day's opening semifinal, the host Hawks led from the start, ultimately pulling away from the Blue Jays in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Kelly players wait for Hailey Noon at home after her two-run homer against Jefferson during the first inning of a Class 2 District 3 semifinal Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017 at Kelly High School.

Fred Lynch

Hailey Noon provided the opening spark for the Hawks (19-6), stroking a two-run home run over the left-field fence in the bottom of the first inning after leadoff hitter Lilly Jones reached on an infield single, giving the hosts a 2-0 lead they never relinquished.

"A lot of times that'll set the tone for the game," Kelly coach Rhonda Ratledge said, "but also I didn't want the girls to say, 'We've got two runs on the board, settle back, relax,' because it could go either way. ... That (home run) was a good feeling and I think that was a good motivator and I think that helped calm some nerves, especially at the plate. I'm happy for her."

Noon finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Kelly tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third, all unearned after Kelly Ivy reached on an error to begin the inning. Back-to-back one-out walks to Marissa Worth and Kenzi Koepp set the table for a run-scoring single by Alyssa Tidwell and a sacrifice fly by Alyssa Moore.

Alaney Moore, who was 3-for-4 with a run scored and three driven in, capped the inning with a base hit to left field that brought in Koepp.

With the Hawks leading 5-0, Jefferson got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth as Abi Chipps singled, stole second, moved up to third on a hit by Danielle Young and then scored on an error.

Kelly answered in the bottom half of the inning, as Ivy reached on a leadoff double and later stole home after Koepp walked with two outs and then intentionally got into a rundown to allow Ivy to cross the plate.

Base running was a major factor in the game, as the Hawks pressed the issue -- twice purposefully getting caught in the base paths to allow a runner at third base to scamper home.

Meanwhile, the home side limited Jefferson on the bases, including throwing a runner out at first from the outfield, as well as turning a single into an 8-1-2-5 double play at home and third base to end the top of the fourth.

"We put the pressure on them, and they did us as well," Ratledge said. " ... This team I have this year can make those throws -- we'll make two outs in one play. So those girls handled that situation really well. I was glad they put some pressure on us like that and made us play some ball."

The Blue Jays scored again in the top of the sixth, with Catryn Cattoor driving in a run with a base hit, but it barely made a dent.

The hosts put things away in the bottom of the third with a six-run, seven-hit inning. More aggressive base running helped the Hawks push the envelope, and by the time Alaney Moore hit a two-run single to left field it made the score 11-2.

Hunter Bryant polished off the game with a run-scoring base hit.

Kelly's final four runs came with two outs.

Jones, Ivy and Tidwell all had two hits on the day.

Tidwell earned the pitching win, allowing just two runs on five hits in six innings.

Jefferson's Sydney Stewart took the loss, giving up 12 runs -- nine earned -- on 14 hits with five walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Kelly 12, Jefferson 2

WP -- Alyssa Tidwell. LP -- Sydney Stewart. 2B -- Kelly Ivy (K). HR -- Hailey Noon (K). Multiple hits -- Kelly: Lily Jones 2-4, Ivy 2-3, Noon 2-4, Tidwell 2-4, Alaney Moore 3-4.

Saxony Lutheran 15, East Prairie 3

WP -- Zoie Roth. LP -- Grace Sutton. 2B -- Roth (SL), Callie Brown (SL). Multiple hits -- East Prairie: Chanie Moreland 2-3; Saxony Lutheran: Casey Kester 2-4, Bailey Steffens 3-4, Roth 3-4, Whitney Unterreiner 2-4, Amber Langston 3-3.