Softball: Brynn Woods leads Kaneland past L-P in extra innings

LA SALLE – Through seven innings, the Kaneland and La Salle-Peru softball teams were neck-and-neck, going back-and-forth, trading hits, trading strikeouts and matching runs as the scoreboard read 4-all heading into extra innings Wednesday at the L-P Sports Complex.

Sophomore Brynn Woods came through for the Knights as she had all game, at the plate and in the circle, as she was hit by a pitch and scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth.

After a Cavaliers’ error and three consecutive Knights batters reaching first base on fielder’s choice decisions on bunts, the Knights scored five runs to win the Interstate 8 Conference game 9-5.

“I was struggling there for a bit. They got a lot of hits off me in the fourth inning. I just trusted my team behind me. We’ve had a few injuries and it adds pressure, but I trust them and they did a great job,” Woods said. “We came off of a big win against Sycamore on Monday. We had confidence. I think that was the biggest thing coming onto the field against L-P. We were having fun. We were playing the game. We put the bats on the ball. We had a great time and came together perfectly.

“I think we all have the confidence in pressure situations. We know if we mess up or strike out, the next person behind us is going to get it done.”

Woods was No. 1 on the Cavaliers’ priority list coming into the game, and it proved to be a true scouting report as the Knights’ ace finished with a complete game win as she allowed four runs (three earned) on 10 hits with 16 strikeouts and no walks.

After three strikeouts in a row in the first inning, L-P put pressure on Kaneland by matching runs in the third.

The Knights (8-8-1, 4-3 I8) scored three in the top of the fourth and the Cavaliers (12-10, 4-2 I8) answered with one run in the fourth and two in the fifth for the 4-all tie.

“I start five or six sophomores and two juniors. I only have two seniors. We’re learning, but we’re 22 games into the season. We’re no longer young,” L-P coach Randy Huebbe said. “Our biggest thing was communication. I thought we played a great game against the best pitcher we’re going to face. She struck out 14 the first time we faced her and we won.

“I give them credit, they came out ready to play. They just beat the No. 2 team in the state, Sycamore. We were ready, too, and have been practicing for her style of pitching. We hit the ball well. I can’t complain at all on how we hit the ball. We played eight superb innings and had just one bad one. They got the bunts down and we’ve been struggling with bunts.

“I told my team after the game, ‘If we play like that every game for the rest of the season we won’t lose because that’s the best pitcher we’re going to see.’”

L-P sophomore starting pitcher Taylor Vescogni struck out 13, walked eight, allowed seven hits and nine runs (five earned) in eight innings as she was pulled for Callie Mertes in the ninth.

Kaneland coach Madison Mikos has eight injured players on her roster, and she was in a car accident Tuesday. She is doing well, and said she told the team she wasn’t missing any games.

Through the injuries and the back-and-forth play in the first eight innings, she knew her team could handle the pressure situation.

“This is our first extra innings game this season, but in prior games when we need the runs they’ve been able to put themselves in that head space,” Mikos said. “In the beginning of the season we struggled to get on base, but now we’ve been able to string hits together. It’ll help us win games the second half of the season.

“L-P is a great team. We lost to them by one run in the first meeting of the season in a close game. Our biggest thing is, if we can score six runs or more in a game, we have a high chance of winning. We preach that to them and we look at the scoreboard after every game to look at our run total.

“(Wednesday) we had more than six and won the game.”

All nine players in the Kaneland lineup scored a run. Leadoff hitter Angelina Campise was 1 for 3 with a double, three RBIs and three walks and Natalie Nab hit three singles and recorded an RBI.

For the Cavaliers, Addie Duttlinger scored a run and hit a double, Karmen Piano was 3 of 4 with a double, two singles, two RBIs and a run scored, Ava Lambert was 2 of 4 with a single, a double, an RBI and a run and Grace Pecchio scored a run.

https://www.shawlocal.com/illinois-valley/high-school-sports/2024/04/25/softball-brynn-woods-leads-kaneland-past-l-p-in-extra-innings/