KELLY RELOADS SLINGSHOT FOR 2A STATE CHAMP

Kelly High's baseball team has been playing the role of giant-killer ever since postseason play began.

Today, the Hawks will attempt to slay the biggest giant of them all when rugged Mansfield makes the long trip to Benton for a 1 p.m. Class 2A quarterfinal game. The winner earns a berth in the 2A Final Four in Columbia.

Mansfield has won the past two 2A state championships and the Lions (19-3) are riding an 18-game winning streak armed with seven starters back from last season.

So, on the surface, the Hawks (14-9) would appear to be heavy underdogs. But they've been the underdogs in their last three games -- and have won them all, including Thursday's 5-4 sectional triumph at South Pemiscot.

"I'm sure they're a good team," said Kelly coach Mike Scott. "But we've been playing well. And we've been playing the so-called role of giant-killers. This is the biggest one yet."

Doug Jones has led Mansfield (located 45 miles southeast of Springfield) to nine district championships in his 10 seasons as the Lions' coach. They've been to the Class 2A Final Four five times in the 1990s, finishing third in '90, second in '91, second in '92 and first in both '95 and '96.

"We take a lot of pride in what we've accomplished," said Jones. "We put a lot of time into the program. We've worked pretty hard and the community is real supportive."

Two all-staters, including Mansfield's ace pitcher the past two seasons, graduated off last year's squad. But the Lions have more than made up for those losses.

Mansfield carries a sizzling .378 team batting average, with two players above .500 and two more above .400. Leaders are catcher Steve Welch (.550), first baseman Jarod Coday (.516), left fielder Eric Grubbs (.446), third baseman Michael Spyers (.438), pitcher Jason Davis (.396) and shortstop Jeromy Brooke (.375, 23 for 23 in stolen bases).

Three pitchers have carried the load for the Lions. Welch was the winner during Thursday's 8-2 sectional win at Clearwater and Davis -- whom Jones regards as the staff ace -- will get the nod today. Davis, a righthander who started last year's state championship game, is 6-0 with a 2.82 earned-run average.

"He's not overpowering but he's a good pitcher," said Jones of Davis.

Asked to compare this year's squad with his last two state championship teams, Jones said, "The last two years I felt like we had the best pitcher in the state. He could carry us. I think we hit the ball better this year, but we don't have that overpowering pitcher."

While Mansfield has loads of state experience, Kelly will be looking for its first-ever berth in the final four. The Hawks are in the state quarterfinals for the first time after claiming their first-ever sectional win Thursday.

"We're just riding the wave and we want to keep it going," said Scott.

The Hawks are not nearly as potent offensively as Mansfield, but they do boast four .300-plus hitters in Denver Stuckey (.470), John Livingston (.390), Ben Klipfel (.360) and Justin Vetter (.330).

Stuckey pitched the victory over South Pemiscot while Vetter (3-4, 5.45 ERA) will get the nod today. The right-hander was extremely impressive in his most recent outing, a 3-2 win over favored Notre Dame for the district title last week.

"If Justin is on, I feel like we'll be right in the ballgame," Scott said. "I guess if you're going to make it to Columbia, you might as well beat all the top teams along the way."