Softball: Johnsburg beats Richmond-Burton, moves closer to KRC title

RICHMOND – To say Johnsburg’s softball team was looking forward to Monday’s Kishwaukee River Conference game against Richmond-Burton probably is an understatement.

“The last two weeks, all of our motivation has been this game,” Skyhawks senior third baseman Kate Linkletter said. “I know they’re doing super well, too, but we want to win conference, and we want to win state. This game was super important. We came out with all we had.”

Behind a complete game from junior pitcher Addison Mass, the Skyhawks kept their perfect KRC record intact with a 7-1 win over the Rockets. Johnsburg (12-3 overall, 7-0 KRC) hosts R-B (14-3, 7-2) in their series finale Wednesday.

The Skyhawks also have two games left against Marengo, which will be played Friday and Saturday. Those games originally were scheduled for May 10 and 12 but were postponed because of a COVID-19 quarantine.

Johnsburg coach Jamie Smeigh noticed the extra excitement and anticipation from his players well before they took the field.

“Today, they were really excited. A little more excited than they get for other games, so I was a little nervous,” Smeigh said. “I didn’t know if they were going to be too excited or what, but their energy was great throughout the whole game. I was really happy to see that.”

Mass (10-1) held the Rockets, who have averaged more than 10 runs a game going into Monday’s game, to only four hits. She struck out 11 and walked none, giving up an unearned run in the third inning.

R-B leadoff hitter Jesse Klicker finished 3 for 3 with a double and was about the only Rockets’ batter who had any success against Mass. The other eight batters in their lineup were a combined 1 for 23.

“I was excited to come out here and play Richmond,” said Mass, who had two strikeouts in five of seven innings. “My fastball and rise balls were working well for me today, and my changeup. I did a lot, but I feel like my team did a lot more for me today. I wasn’t able to score all those runs. I wasn’t able to get all those outs.”

Mass did help the Skyhawks grab the lead in the top of the first, hitting a one-out double and later coming around to score on a throwing error. In the top of the third, Johnsburg scored four runs on four hits to take a 5-0 lead.

Linkletter had a two-run single in the third, and Megan Patterson drove in two runs on a sacrifice fly to deep center field, with Mass scoring from third and Linkletter all the way from second. Johnsburg also took advantage of two errors in the four-run third. A couple more balls hit high into the air fell between Rockets defenders.

“I think [Johnsburg] did well with taking advantage of everything that we gave them in the field,” R-B coach Vicki Klopf said. “Just being a crosstown rival, they know these girls. My kids just didn’t show up today. Hopefully, we can be better on Wednesday. We have said all year that the only team that’s going to take us out of [games] is going to be us. We did that today.”

Brooke Klosowicz finished 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI, Mass scored two runs, and Patterson added two hits for Johnsburg. No. 9 hitter Ella Smith (1 for 2) tallied two runs, and Nicole Jihlavec drove in a run. Emilia Wizceb added a double.

Mia Spohr started for R-B and allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits in 2 1/3 innings, striking out two and walking none. Klicker tossed the final 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk.

The Skyhawks have at least one more day to enjoy Monday’s win before hosting R-B on Wednesday.

“My freshman, sophomore year, I felt like we didn’t do as well as we would have hoped,” Linkletter said. “This is kind of the final year [for the senior class] that we can go far, and I’ve always wanted that. I’ve always wanted to win conference.”