Kennedy beamed all the way to the championship game of the West Central District III 3A tournament, only to be blinded again in the district final for a second straight year. This time it was by Auburn-Riverside, coming back against the Lancers late in the game for a 3-2 win at Sprinker Recreation Center May 19.

"We were right there in the game," said Dino Josie, the Lancers' head coach. "We beat them in the league playoffs (final) and they beat us in the district final. Auburn-Riverside is well coached, athletic, never say die."

This was a great game and neither team wanted to go out losing. Karli Merlich pitched great for the Lancers and the Ravens' pitcher, Amanda Fitzsimmons, pitched great and had the game-winning RBI.

But to the Lancers' offense first we go, where, in the top of the third, the navy blue and red clad ladies drew first blood. Jaime Yellam singled with one out and then after an error single to Maggie Whaley on an overthrow to first base and then a walk to Merlich. It was Brittany Montgomery hitting the ball to right field. It should have been an out, but give Montgomery credit for hitting the ball shallow, making the Ravens' right fielder run in on the ball before sticking down a glove and having the ball hit it and go out of it. Two runs scored on the play and the Lancers led, 2-0.

The game stayed that way until the bottom of the fifth when the Ravens put together a good string of offense, two runs scored on three hits. First was a single to left field then a double put runners at second and third and then a looper over the third baseman was in and out of the glove of the shortstop. To make matters worse, not just one run scored on the play but two because the ball caromed off the glove and went through the dugout door.

The chances of that happening were low. And, if the ball does not go through the dugout door then it is a 2-1 game instead of 2-2 after that hit. The shortstop dove and nearly made a great play, that is how close this game was, a game of inches, of balls hitting off the glove's pocket webbing instead of staying in it.

Then, tied, the Lancers still were almost back in the lead as in the top of the seventh leadoff hitter, Lindsay O'Connell, drew a walk before Yellam bunted pinch runner Tracy Hughes to second. Then Whaley was up. She hit the ball, hard, slicing away from the left fielder. The Ravens fielder made a full extension dive to slot the ball in the glove doing a somersault or two in the process before coming up with the ball and showing the umpire she had it.

"Great diving catch by that left fielder," said Josie. "That ball gets down and we are still playing."

Merlich played great, pitching heat for the Lancers through rain at times too. She allowed two hits through the first five before the Ravens then scored those two runs spoken of above. Then she went through the order 1,2,3, in the bottom of the sixth, with a strikeout and tow induced grounder easy plays.

Then was the Kennedy seventh inning at-bats with offense that was almost good enough for a game-winning run, and, then it was the Ravens' turn to win it. And no "almost" about it, it was over quickly , as the first batter up was hit by a pitch, the second singled up the middle, and, the third, Fitzsimmons, ended things slicing a low, away, outside corner pitch into shallow center field. Game over.

Merlich have any regrets of where she put that last pitch of districts that Fitzsimmons had a walk-off RBI single?

"No, it was a good pitch," said Merlich. "She (Fitzsimmons) is a great athlete. I just go for the "K" and know my team will back it up."

"I am proud of the girls, they battled hard all weekend," said Josie. "The good thing is that we are off to state with a No. 2 seed."