Ottawa softball tops Kaneland 5-2 in I-8 opener

OTTAWA – After Kaneland scored a pair of runs with one out in the top of the second inning of Monday’s Interstate 8 Conference opener, Ottawa coach Adam Lewis had a team meeting just behind the pitching circle.

“We had made a couple defensive miscues, and they had hit a couple balls hard, so I wanted to give them a chance to regroup and catch their breath,” Lewis said. “I just went out there and challenged their collective competitiveness. They responded and continued to respond the rest of the game.”

The Pirates stranded Knights runners on second and third before scoring twice in their half of the second inning to tie the game.

“Getting those two runs right back was a huge key for sure,” Lewis said.

Ottawa (8-2, 1-0 I-8) then took the lead with a run in the third and added a pair of runs in the fifth in a 5-2 victory.

Addie Russell earned the pitching win, after allowing seven hits, two earned runs with two walks and eight strikeouts.

“Addie is just flat out getting it done in the circle for us, and she has all season so far,” Lewis said. “She has been consistent and gives us a chance to win every game we play with how competitive she is.”

Kaneland (9-3, 0-1) took the early lead on an RBI double by Addison Coulter and a run-scoring single by Graycin Slou.

Ottawa tied the game with two outs in the second on an error and an RBI base hit by Piper Lewis. A pair of errors and a double by Aubrey Sullivan led to the hosts taking the lead for good in the third, while RBIs off a Kilah Figenbaum single and Reece Purcell triple finished out the scoring in the fifth.

Purcell finished the contest 3 for 3, while Lewis added a pair of hits.

“I really didn’t have any special approach today at the plate. I just wanted to get in there, get a hit, and do whatever I could to help the team,” Purcell said. “The only thing I was really trying to do was anticipate [Kaneland pitcher Brynn Woods’] changeup because my coaches told me to.”

Coming off a pair of one-run wins over Rockridge and Rock Falls on Saturday, Purcell said she was looking to get back at it after not feeling she played that well.

“Our games on Saturday were super fun, but I really didn’t feel I played so great,” Purcell said. “I just wanted to come into the game today and contribute a little better. That’s what this team does, if some of us have bad days, someone else picks them up.”

Woods was saddled with the tough-luck loss as she gave up eight hits, no earned runs and one walk with 13 strikeouts. Lilyana Crawford had two of the Knights’ seven hits, while Ansley Ruh smacked a triple.

“Brynn did a great job today giving our defense opportunities to make plays, but we didn’t capitalize on those chances,” Kaneland coach Mike Kuefler said. ”Once Ottawa took the lead, we started pressing a little bit and just weren’t able to recover from the mistakes we made. You can’t give teams, especially in this conference, any extra outs.

“[Russell] did a great job of mixing her pitches against us and kept us off balance. She doesn’t have a lot of velocity, but her pitches really move, which makes her tough to get good contact on.”

Ottawa is scheduled back in action Wednesday hosting Morris. Kaneland traveled to play St. Charles East on Tuesday.