Kee softball girls open State Tournament with 11-4 triumph, advance to Thursday's semifinals

The second-rated Kee softball team began its Class 1A State Tournament journey with an opening-round triumph, 11-4, over unranked Belle Plaine Monday, July 18. The Hawks used a seven-run first inning and a pair of homeruns by sophomore first baseman Chloe Severson to overcome an early 2-0 deficit and pull away to victory.

Kee will next compete Thursday evening, July 21 at 5 p.m. against fourth-rated Martensdale-St. Mary's, 8-0 first-round winners over unranked Charter Oak-Ute, with that winner advancing on to the Class 1A State Championship game Friday, July 22 at 4:55 p.m. Other first-round winners also taking their first step toward the Class 1A championship game were top-ranked Akron-Westfield, 13-1 in four innings over unranked West Harrison, and ninth-rated Newell-Fonda, 2-1 winners over fifth-rated New London.

Full coverage of all three of Kee's State Tournament games will appear in the July 27 edition of The Standard.