MARS — Chris Kelly works fast on the mound, but he had a little extra incentive to speed things up in Game 1 of the Eagle County League baseball championship series Thursday night.

The Mars I pitcher had to catch a flight back to Tampa, Fla. to teach physical education at Lake Magdalene Elementary School.

He stuck around long enough to scatter five hits, strike out eight and walk one in a 9-0 blanking of Saxonburg at Marburger Field in the best-of-five series.

"It happens every year," said Kelly, who spends his summer in Western Pennsylvania pitching for Mars I and his fall and winter in the Florida sun. "Last year, I didn't get to stay at all. Next year, (school) starts a little later, so I'll be able to stay the whole time."

Saxonburg is glad to see him hop a plane.

Kelly was masterful. The right-hander, who wastes little time after he gets the ball from the catcher, got into few jams during an efficient outing.

Saxonburg threatened in the second inning with consecutive singles by Steve Hall and Dan Pickard, butKelly struck out Matt Messer and Jeff Foster, then got Rob Cochran to ground out to end the threat.

Saxonburg didn't get two base runners on in the same inning the rest of the game.

Kelly put an emphatic end to the game by striking out the side in the seventh.

"I felt a lot better later in the game and got comfortable with the mound — it's different every game," Kelly said. "I didn't treat this game any differently. I just treated it like any of the other 11 or 12 games I pitched this season."

Kelly got plenty of run support from the big boppers in the Mars I lineup, many of whom remember the Big Bopper.

With Mars I clinging to a 1-0 lead, Ryan Salazar hit a towering home run to right center for a grand slam.

Salazar's home run was rare and spoke to the depth of the Mars I lineup. It may have been the first grand slam smacked by the No. 10 — yes, No. 10 — hitter in a lineup. The Eagle County League allows teams to bat 10 players if they choose.

"It's the championship series and I have 15 good ballplayers," said Mars player-manager Rob Fester. "It's hard getting everyone three at-bats a game.

"Ryan came through with the biggest hit of the night. It opened up the game for us."

Until the grand slam, Saxonburg pitcher Josh Marchinowski was adept at working out of problems — most of them self-inflicted.

The lanky lefty struggled with his control, walking six and hitting a batter in seven innings of work.

"He pitched such an outstanding game in the second round against Natrona Heights," said Saxonburg manager Dan Cunningham. "It looked like he was struggling getting control. Yeah, he struggled right out of the gate tonight. Maybe it was the adrenaline."

Falling into a 1-0 hole in the championship series won't affect Saxonburg, Cunningham said.

"It's just one game," Cunningham said.

Fester echoed that statement. The two teams have a lot of history, including meeting in this championship series five times in the last seven years.

"They aren't going to go away," Fester said."

Saxonburg 000 000 0—0 5 2Mars I 001 404 x—9 8 0W: Chris Kelly 7 IP (8 K, 1 BB).

L: Josh Marchinowski 6 IP (4 K, 6 BB).

Saxonburg: Adam Brydon 2B, 1B; Steve Hall 2-1B; Dan Pickard 1B

Mars: Mike Bruno 2-2B, 2-RBI; Matt Colella 1B, RBI; RyanSalazar HR, 4-RBI; Matt Serakowski 1B, RBI

Today: Game 2, Mars I vs. Saxonburg at Highfield Park, 6 p.m.

The following are the results of the Eagle County League Championship Series dating back to 1995. Either Mars or Saxonburg has reached the finals each year since then:<B>Year Results Series2008 Mars vs. Saxonburg ?2007</B> Saxonburg def. Mars I 3-2<B>2006</B> Saxonburg def. Mars I 3-0<B>2005</B> Saxonburg def. Natrona Heights 3-0<B>2004</B> Saxonburg def. Freeport 3-0<B>2003</B> Mars def. Saxonburg 3-0<B>2002</B> Mars def. Saxonburg 3-2<B>2001</B> Mars def. Saxonburg 3-0<B>2000</B> Callery def. Saxonburg 3-1<B>1999</B> Mars def. Callery 3-0<B>1998</B> Saxonburg def. Callery 3-2<B>1997</B> Mars def. Harmony 3-2<B>1996</B> Callery def. Saxonburg 3-2<B>1995</B> Mars def. Warrendale 3-0