Softball: Kaneland edges Yorkville

For a Kaneland team that spent last week in upper 70-degree weather in South Carolina, the action really heated up back in Maple Park Tuesday in its Northern Illinois Big XII East opener.

The Knights and Yorkville both rallied to tie the game in their last at-bats in the seventh inning, sending the contest to extras. After making its share of mistakes all game, this time Kaneland took advantage of a Yorkville throwing error in the eighth to win 6-5.

"Honestly it was stressful," Kaneland starter Aly Jesionowski said. "I'm proud of the way we came back. I like that we stuck together as a team and everyone contributed up and down the line. That was huge in coming back."

Kaneland (5-4-1, 1-0) staged the first comeback. After spotting the Foxes an unearned run in the first on a pair of infield errors, then watching three walks lead to two more runs in the fourth, the Knights came to bat in the fifth trailing 3-0.

Leadoff hitter Morgan Weber singled sharply to start the rally. Donatela Sommesi, who made the defensive play of the game with a diving catch in left field, walked.

Lexi Abruzzo bunted for a hit, and Weber raced home when the throw to first got away. Hannah Theobald lined out hard to center before an infield single by Jesionowski scored Sommesi. Maddy Wheatley belted a 2-run double that was nearly caught at the center field fence, putting Kaneland up 4-3.

Down 4-3 and down to its last strike in the seventh, it was Yorkville's (7-2, 0-1) turn to come back. The Foxes again capitalized on a Kaneland miscue. With runners at second and third, the Knights bobbled an infield grounder that allowed both runs to score giving Yorkville a 5-4 lead.

"There's no doubt about these kids that they are fighters and they really will play to the end of the game no matter what," Yorkville coach Jory Regnier said. "It's always a good competitive conference no matter what. It doesn't even matter how the season has gone up to the point, every team in our conference brings a game no matter what. If they are 0-8 or 8-0 it's going to be a game."

In the bottom of the seventh, Abruzzo's bunt single, stolen base and a single by Theobald put the tying run to third, and Jesionowski's groundout tied the game 5-5.

Emilee Erickson, who pitched the final 2 innings in relief of Jesionowski, stranded a runner at third in the top of the eighth. Natalie Kraemer walked to start the bottom of the eighth.

Lauren Callahan laid down a bunt, and Kraemer aggressively rounded second to go for third when the Foxes threw to first. The throw from first to third got away, and Kraemer scored the winning run.

"I gave Natalie some kudos because when that bunt went down I was holding her at two," Kaneland coach Mike Kuefler said. "She recognized the pitcher didn't get back to cover third. She read that. That helped us win the game."

Jesionowski, Wheatley, Abruzzo and Weber all had 2 hits.

"All nine contributed today," Kuefler said. "It wasn't just the usual characters. That's big."