BENTON, Mo. -- With two outs recorded in the top of the ninth inning, it looked as if Kelly was going to have a chance to score the game-winning run, at home, in the bottom half of the inning to advance to the state quarterfinals.
East Carter (24-5), though, did not give up one ounce, as it would score two runs and eventually put the finishing touches on the Lady Hawks -- defeating them 5-4 -- to advance in the MSHSAA Class 2 quarterfinals for the first time since 2011. That season saw the Redbirds take home fourth place honors -- the only softball state trophy in the program's history.
East Carter will host Montgomery County at 3 p.m. Saturday at Three Rivers College.
The Redbird rally started off with Kennedy Thies reaching on a dropped third strike. Then, after Naomi Crowley reached on a single and advanced Thies to third base, Elizabeth Crowley doubled, driving both of the runners home.
East Carter's fanbase -- which traveled well -- erupted after the enormous extra-base hit, and rightfully so, as the Redbirds led 5-3 at the time.
"It was just amazing," East Carter coach Teresa Kearbey said. "Everything just fell into place; it's almost like it was meant to be. Who has a dropped third strike in a sectional game and gets on and then two runs score? So, it's just, right now, I'm at a loss for words."
Everything went East Carter's way -- at least for those three at-bats -- with all the pressure on the Hawks to do something they had already done twice in the game, and that was to come from behind and tie the game up.
In the second inning, the Redbirds threw the first punch, with an RBI single from Paytin Gholson; scoring Audrey Carter to give the momentum to the guests.
Kelly, though, answered right back, as Kenzi Koepp singled to start the frame. Kate Hughes drew a walk, and Elly Pattengill reached on an error by the pitcher to bring up leadoff hitter Lilly Jones, in a clutch bases-loaded situation.
The senior delivered as she singled to left field, scoring two runs and giving the Lady Hawks a 2-1 advantage.
In the seventh inning, the same kind of drama ensued.
Jordan Moore led off with a double and eventually came around to score on a critical base-running play.
Thies lightly hit a ball that Kelly's Kim Seabaugh was able to handle; throwing it to first base to complete the out. Moore caught the Lady Hawks off-guard, though, as she headed for home while the out was being recorded; beating the tag to give the Redbirds the late lead.
Continuing to fight, continuing to battle, was how Kearbey described her team's poise on the diamond.
"Our girls just kept battling," Kearbey said. "I'm so incredibly proud of them. Kelly has always been so strong and so tough, and they're just a little intimidating because of their history. That's a good club, I mean that's a good group of girls. They kept fighting too, and I'm just so proud of them. Our girls just stayed in there and battled and never gave up."
Kelly (15-9) was able to bring that same kind of fight, especially in the bottom half of the seventh.
With the season on the line, and needing just one run, the Lady Hawks battled with two outs in the inning.
After Jones and Alaney Moore both flew out, Alyssa Tidwell doubled, putting a runner in scoring position for Kelly Ivy. Ivy also hit a double, driving in Tidwell and giving Kelly another chance to win.
The rally, though, ended on a popout to the catcher.
Adding on to a lead was a struggle for the Lady Hawks on Wednesday, which head coach Melanie Heuring pointed to after the game.
"Twice we had them on the ropes, and we came back," Heuring said. "That's all I can ask for out of this team, and that's what I wanted them to do all year long, and they finally showed that grit and determination, and that character and that heart, that we've been missing and that's what you got to have in postseason. They showed it today, so I hope they can bring it back next year."
For both teams, the offense showed up late, as both Tidwell and East Carter's Makenna Moore were able to put on a show in the circle.
Both pitchers went the distance, as Tidwell gave up four earned runs and Moore with just three.
"She has such good movement on the ball," Kearbey said. "She keeps everyone on their toes and, of course, her Dad is my assistant, and he calls pitches for her, because he's grown up with her pitching and she does, she keeps everyone on their toes, keeps them guessing. She's amazing."
Moore had five strikeouts to just two walks.
Starting slow, it looked as if Tidwell was feeling the nerves. After two walks to two of the first three batters, it looked like it might not be her night in the circle.
Tidwell, though, was able to settle down, as she retired seven straight batters and eight of nine after giving up a leadoff single in the top of the third.
"I knew that coming in the first time we played them, they hit Alyssa pretty well too," Heuring said. "So, I knew they had some good hitters. She did, she struggled the first couple innings, but I was glad to see that she got back in her groove and ended up doing what she needed to do with the ball."
The first meeting between the two teams was early in the season and was also a game where it went right down to the wire.
East Carter was able to win that game 3-2, with two runs coming in the bottom of the seventh, so Wednesday was not the only dramatic finish between the two schools.
Getting to see a state-run unfold, for the Redbirds, doesn't happen all that much, but for Kearbey, winning one would be everything she has wished for and more.
"It would be an awesome dream come true," an emotional Kearbey said after the game. "I think our girls have the ability to do it. We have one senior, so we're young as far as experience at this level. We got next year too, we're losing one girl, and that's a senior. So, I mean I'm confident. I'm confident that our girls are going to keep battling until we get it done or we're going to be proud of what we accomplished. That's what I told them today; we've won districts, so we've already gotten over the hump. Don't let nerves become a factor because this is basically the same team we're going to bring to the field next year and I'm just so happy."
Bringing back a championship culture is what Heuring aims for at the beginning of every season. 17 state tournament appearances and two championships will do that for a program.
With the youth coming back next season, the Lady Hawks -- who lose three seniors -- Heuring said that she hopes the younger girls come back even hungrier next season.
"That's what I was just talking to the younger girls just now in the huddle," Heuring said. "I said, you know, this is what you want in postseason, this is the kind of game you want. This is what you want to work for next year, see how the hard work, and the effort, and the time you have to put into it to get back to this point. So, I'm hoping they understand that, and that makes them hungry for next year.
"Our goal is always to win districts and continue in postseason and get back to state, especially last year; we got back to state after that three-year drought. So, I think the girls wanted to experience that, wanted to get back there, so that's always our goal with this strong Kelly program and our tradition here. The girls know that from Day 1."