Hawks face one of state's top aces

BENTON, Mo. -- Kelly softball coach Melanie Heuring did not hesitate when asked what her players would need to do well if they hoped to bring home a third state championship to the school.

"Hit," Heuring said, simply and quickly. "We've been lacking that here at the end of the season. We've always gone back and forth. Our pitching's always solid and we either have good defense or good offense and I've preached that to the girls all year -- we have to have both.

"Lately we've had great defense and our hitting's been lacking, but hopefully it will all come together this weekend."

The Hawks' (19-11) offense will face a tough task in its Class 2 state semifinal against Warsaw at 2 p.m. today at the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield, Mo.

Warsaw, which enters the final four with a 23-4 record, is led by senior pitcher Kelly Wenberg, the most statistically dominant pitcher in Class 2.

Wenberg is 13-4 with a 1.27 ERA. She's struck out 176 in 104 2/3 innings.

Wenberg also is Warsaw's biggest offensive threat, boasting a .595 batting average and a whopping 42 steals. Third baseman Caitlyn Cooner is batting .538 with 28 RBIs.

"From what I understand, it looks like they've only allowed like 30 runs all year, so you know they definitely have good pitching and good defense," Heuring said.

"They've beaten a lot of teams 10-0, so we definitely will be facing a good team."

The Wildcats, who dropped down to Class 2 after making the Class 3 quarterfinals last season, have shut out their opponents 18 times this season.

Heuring said she hasn't shied away from addressing the offensive struggles with her team and called on some alumni to help the team prepare.

"It is an obvious thing and they know it, so that's something they know they need to work on," Heuring said during a team practice earlier this week. "That's why I've got the pitching machine cranked up today. I've got someone coming to throw to them today and someone coming to throw to them again tomorrow to get used to that faster pitching."

Heuring, a Kelly graduate who has served as the team's assistant or coach since 1998, said it was a luxury to be able to call on past stars for the Hawks to throw batting practice to the team this week.

"Get some reinforcements in here to help us on that live arm," she said. "That's the best practice you can get right there is seeing different pitching."

Kelly has hit .310 as a team and is led by freshman shortstop Jade Rampley, who is batting .427 and senior pitcher Kristen Powell, who is batting .354 with a team-high 15 RBIs.

The Hawks will continue to play small ball when given the opportunity.

"It's worked a lot for us this year, especially in the close games," Heuring said. "Bunting and squeezing is definitely going to be part of the game plan."

The other semifinal between perennial power Palmyra (25-3) and Brookfield (18-12) also will take place at 2 p.m. today. The championship game will be played at 4 p.m. Saturday while the third-place game will be at 6:15 p.m. today.

Palmyra defeated Brookfield 5-0 in a regular-season game Sept. 21.

Palmyra, which like Kelly has been to the Class 2 final four in four of the past five seasons, defeated the Hawks in the 2008 state championship game and the 2007 state semifinals.

"We just take it one game at a time, so right now on Friday we're focusing on Warsaw and if we make it to that championship game more than likely I'm sure it will be Palmyra, so that might be another good matchup," Heuring said. "Two powerhouses."

Kelly catcher Kristen Vetter said she and her teammates haven't talked about the chance to get even with Palmyra this weekend.

"They won three state championships in a row, so they are almost expected to make it there," Vetter said.

The Hawks' return to the final four after a 1-0 loss in the state quarterfinals a year ago with just 11 girls on this season's roster has surprised many, according to both Heuring and Vetter.

"After we lost so many seniors last year that played key positions, people didn't expect us to do as well as we did," Vetter said. "We have improved so much this season, and I am so proud of the girls for that."

Now Vetter and the rest of the Hawks have earned the right to revel once again in what Vetter said was the best part of the final four experience.

"Just being with the team and getting to go that far in a season and being able to say, 'Yes, we are that good of a team,' and hold up the Kelly softball team reputation," she said.