ASHLAND - The Helias Lady Crusaders scored three times in the bottom of the first inning Thursday.
The last thing they wanted to do was to give back some of that lead in the top of the second in their Class 3 District 9 Tournament semifinal against the Fulton Lady Hornets. And while Fulton got a pair of runners on base in the second, it didn't score as Helias went on to post a 9-3 victory.
"We got a shutdown inning and that was important," Helias coach Chris Wyrick said. "If they get one or two runs, it can give them some extra life and make things a little more stressful for us."
With the win, top-seeded Helias (21-5) will face second-seeded Blair Oaks (20-5) for the title at 11 a.m. Saturday. Blair Oaks advanced later Thursday with a 1-0 win against third-seeded Southern Boone.
After Helias starter Alexa Rehmeier set down Fulton in order in the first, the Lady Crusaders got three runs on just one hit in its half of the inning.
Ella Meyer and Rylee Kolb drew consecutive walks with one out before Kenley Haslag singled to score Meyer and advance Kolb to third. And when the Fulton catcher threw to second to try to get an advancing Haslag, the throw went into center field to score Kolb and get Haslag all the way to third.
After Mallorey Rogers drew a walk, Riley Heckenkamp hit a sacrifice fly to right to plate Haslag and make it 3-0.
Paige Clines led off the second for Fulton with a triple. After a pop out and a strikeout, Payton Mosley walked to put runners at the corners before Rehmeier got out of the inning with a strikeout.
"Alexa got after them," Wyrick said. "When the runners got on base, she did a good job of getting out of it."
Helias added a run in the third. Meyer led off with an infield single before later scoring on a grounder by Heckenkamp to make it 4-0.
Clines led off the Fulton fourth by hitting the first pitch over the fence in left for a home run.
"That had to go about 260 (feet)," Wyrick said.
Rehmeier retired the next three Lady Hornets to keep the score at 4-1.
Helias added two runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth. Holly Hentges had a bunt single with one out and strole second before scoring on a double by Taylor Woehr. Woehr later scored on a single by Kolb and Helias led 6-1.
The Lady Crusaders made it 7-1 in the fifth when courtesy runner Livia Bloomer scored on an infield single by Paige Luebbering.
"Just keep the line moving and do what you have to do to score a run," Wyrick said. "You score a run every inning, that's seven and you're going to win a lot of games if you score seven runs."
Lauren Howell came on in relief of Rehmeier to start the sixth. She allowed a one-out single before Clines hit her second home run of the game, this one to right, to make it 7-3.
"It was an outside pitch and she just went that way with it," Wyrick said. "That's what good hitters do."
Clines also had a pair of home runs in Fulton's 7-3 district-opening win Wednesday against Capital City.
"She just throws her hands at it," Wyrick said. "She squared them up."
The Lady Crusaders got their final two runs in the sixth. Woehr led off with a single before advancing to second on a groundout. She moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a fielder's choice off the bat of Haslag.
Heckenkamp picked up her third RBI of the game later in the inning on a single that scored Kolb.
"We had some good at-bats, we hit the ball hard and made them play defense," Wyrick said. "It was a good offensive game for us."
Helias struck out just four times Thursday.
"That's what you have to do, put the ball in play and make them have to make a play to get you out," Wyrick said.
Rehmeier got the win, allowing one earned run on two hits and a walk while striking out 10. Howell gave up two runs on three hits while recording five strikeouts in two innings of relief.
Wyrick said both were mentally tough when they needed to be after allowing home runs to Clines.
"I was proud of Alexa coming back and getting the next three hitters to get out of the inning," Wyrick said. "I was proud of Lauren for coming back and getting the next two hitters to get out of the inning.
"A lot of times at this level, giving up a home run can shake up the confidence of a pitcher. but they both did a good job."
Fulton ends its season at 19-9.
The Helias-Blair Oaks winner will host the District 10 champion in the sectionals next Wednesday. Bolivar (22-6) and School of the Osage (12-13) will play for the District 10 title at noon Saturday.