Softball: St. Charles East downs Kaneland in 10
Less than 24 hours removed from a disappointing walk-off loss to Geneva, St. Charles East's softball team returned the favor Saturday afternoon.
After dropping a 6-4 decision to Geneva on a 2-run walk off home run by Annika Radabaugh, the Saints (25-6) rallied for a 10-9, 10-inning nonconference victory over Kaneland (19-12-1) in St. Charles.
Senior catcher Rylee Stout capped a 3-run comeback in the bottom of the 10th when she smacked a 2-0 pitch over the fence in right-center for the walk off victory. It was Stout's second home run of the game and 17th of the season (record-breaking 34th career home run).
When she first hit it, Stout didn't think the ball was heading over the fence.
"I was sprinting for the double - I really was," said Stout. "It just went over and that was it. It's a great feeling."
Trailing 9-7 heading into the bottom of the 10th, the Saints began their comeback with Sara Campagna's leadoff single before Delaney Devor launched a clutch 2-run home run - her second of the game - with 2 out to tie the game at 9-9 prior to Stout's heroics.
"I knew I wanted to get a base hit," said Devor, who went 3 for 5 with a double and 4 RBI. "I wasn't going to let this game end like that. It was a good win today all-around."
Kaneland grabbed a 2-0 lead just two batters into the game on Donatela Sommesi's 2-run home run.
Morgan Weber (3 for 4, 2 walks) added a solo home run in the third to make it 3-0 before the Saints got the run back on Devor's first home run of the game - a solo shot in the third.
The Knights capitalized on a pair of errors during a 3-run fourth and Maddie Wheatley's solo home run in the fifth extended their lead to 7-1.
"We found ourselves in a big hole," said Saints coach Jarod Gutesha. "We were making mistakes and didn't look sharp. It looked like there was a carry-over (from the loss to Geneva). Things weren't going our way but the message was don't panic - we can do this."
St. Charles East fought its way back in the game with a 5-run fifth that featured Paige Ligocki's 3-run home run and included an RBI double from Devor and a run-scoring single by Stout.
Stout's leadoff home run in the bottom of the seventh tied the game at 7-7.
"Our team is a hitting team," said Stout. "We know we're coming back. This game was a lot of fun - a lot of emotions."
Devor tossed 4 scoreless innings of relief before the Knights grabbed a 9-7 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the 10th.
Weber sliced a leadoff triple down the right-field line and following Sommesi's bunt single and walk to Lexi Abruzzo, Hannah Theobald delivered a 2-run single to break the 7-7 deadlock.
"Our good quality at-bats came back today," said Knights coach Mike Kuefler. "We were hitting the ball hard.
"Emilee (Erickson) threw well and Aly (Jesionowski) came in and did her job. We just can't pitch to Stout. We were trying to go way outside (2-0 pitch) and she reached out and got it. She's a good hitter."