Softball: Sycamore edges L-P 1-0 to win Interstate 8 Conference title

LA SALLE – Coming into Monday’s game at La Salle-Peru, Sycamore had the opportunity to accomplish something even the Spartans’ 2019 state championship team didn’t – winning a conference championship.

With a strong pitching performance by Addison Dierschow, stellar defense and just enough offense, the Spartans edged La Salle-Peru 1-0 to claim the Interstate 8 Conference championship.

“It feels amazing,” Dierschow said. “All the hard work we put in during practices and through the season, it feels really good.”

It’s Sycamore’s first conference title since winning the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference East Division in 2018.

“It’s not something we do often, so it’s special,” Sycamore coach Jill Carpenter said. “I think it really says something about the conference – I know we’re only six [schools] now – to have game nine out of 10 be the deciding factor, and if we didn’t win this one the last game would have been the deciding factor for us and L-P, and Kaneland was still in the mix. It’s strong, and that helps us get ready for postseason.

“It makes for a bunch of competitive games. Everybody has kind of beat up on everybody a little bit. It keeps you grounded, but I think it shows that we can compete with anybody and find a way to win. It doesn’t have to be pretty as long as you have more runs than the other team at the end.

“We’ve found a way to do that all year.”

Dierschow threw a four-hit shutout, striking out six batters and walking none.

“I just aim for the spot my coach threw down,” Dierschow said. “I just trusted Kairi [Lantz], and Kairi did amazing with her frames today and being awesome behind the plate. She had a couple foul balls that she caught that were clutch, too.

“I think my changeup was good, and my drop-curve when she called it in certain times, that really got them to go for it and helped us out.”

Dierschow and the Spartans (24-2, 8-1 I8) escaped a couple of jams.

In the second inning, Taylor Vescogni doubled with one out, but Dierschow got a flyout and strikeout to end the inning.

Karmen Piano led off the fourth with a double. With one out, Ava Lambert hit a fly ball deep into the left-center field gap, but Sycamore center fielder Addie McLaughlin ran it down and fired to second base for a double play.

“I said, ‘Oh boy,’ ” Dierschow said about her reaction when Lambert’s ball left the bat. “Then I turned around, and she’s super fast, and she was there, and she caught it. It was good.

“It feels really good [to have the support of the defense]. I think all around I have trust in every single girl out there.”

In the sixth, the Cavaliers (14-11, 6-3) put two runners on with one out, but Dierschow induced a popout and flyout.

“Addison threw phenomenally for us,” Carpenter said. “She’s one of those kids you can tell when she’s on and having a good day, and she seemed on from the start. She was able to keep her composure in a couple of jams and her defense played really well behind her.

“That has really been the formula for us. She can strike out 10, but teams will put the ball in play, and we’ve done a really good job of minimizing our mistakes.

“Addie McLaughlin had a couple amazing catches in center. Addie Armstrong played flawless at third. The fact pitching and defense were there, then all you need is one thing to happen your way to get a run across.”

Things went the Spartans way in the sixth when Armstrong doubled off the wall to start the inning and later scored on an error.

It was the only blemish against Vescogni, as she went toe-to-toe with Dierschow.

Vescogni gave up one run on four hits while striking out eight and hitting one batter.

“I thought we played really well other than one batter,” L-P coach Randy Huebbe said. “They’re ranked fifth in the state. I can’t complain. Taylor pitched really well today.

“Today is the first game we had everybody healthy at the same time. We have a few games to get it all set. We’re in a heck of a regional, but we’ll give it a shot.”