KELLY PLAYS MONOPOLY WITH ND

BENTON -- The softball dynasty at Kelly High School just keeps on rolling.

Kelly captured its 14th consecutive district championship Monday as the top-seeded Lady Hawks rolled past second-seeded Notre Dame 10-1 in the finals of the Class 2A, District 2 Tournament.

The Lady Hawks, who hosted Monday's contest, will also host a 2A Sectional game Thursday against the winner of District 1, whose finals will be held today.

Kelly, which won the state title in 1997 but was eliminated in last year's quarterfinals, improved to 21-3 -- the most season victories ever for the tradition-rich program.

Notre Dame finished the campaign with a 12-14 record. Four of those losses were to Kelly.

"Kelly is a very good team," said Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim. "You have to play really well to have a chance to beat them."

Kelly coach Rhonda Evans got her pre-game wish about wanting to put the pressure on Notre Dame early. The Lady Hawks scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning to break things open.

"We wanted to jump on them quickly," said Evans.

The six first-inning runs would have been more than enough for Kelly ace pitcher Marissa Essner. The junior hurled all seven innings, allowing four hits while striking out seven and walking two. The run she allowed was unearned.

"Marissa pitched a really good game," Evans said.

Kelly swung the bats well with 13 hits off Notre Dame pitcher Ramona Blankenship, a freshman.

Essner went 4-for-4 to lead the Lady Hawks' offensively. Megan Beggs added three hits, including two doubles.

"We've been hitting the ball good, and we got our bunts down well today," said Evans. "I feel good about our lineup all the way around."

While Kelly did make three errors, the Lady Hawks also turned in several exceptional defensive plays, including a pair of fine catches by right fielder Kari Lape and an impressive play in the hole by shortstop Beggs.

Essner worked out of a jam in the top of the first inning. Tracie Kluesner led off with an infield single and went all the way to third on a sacrifice. But Essner fanned the next two batters.

The Lady Hawks then jumped on the Lady Bulldogs with six in the bottom of the first. Kelly had five hits in the frame and also took advantage of two key Notre Dame errors as three of the runs were unearned. Beggs and Nicole Kern had RBI doubles.

Kelly scored again in the third to make it 7-0. Notre Dame finally broke through in the sixth as Bonnie Essner, who had singled, scored on an error. But the Lady Hawks tacked on three insurance runs in the sixth.