Freeport 1, Burlington Central 0
ROCHELLE -- One pitch will never define the career of Burlington Central senior right-hander Erica Maisto.
Unfortunately for Maisto and the Rockets, one pitch did define their Class 3A Rochelle sectional semifinal softball game here Thursday.
Leading off the top of the ninth inning, Freeport sophomore Lindsay Ellinor worked the count to 3-2, fouled off 7 Maisto pitches then took it deep. Her bomb over the left field fence was the game's only run as the Pretzels won 1-0 to knock off the top-ranked Rockets and advance to Saturday's sectional championship game against No. 2 ranked LaSalle-Peru.
"I don't know what happened," said Maisto between tears. "That's my role and I feel like I let everyone down. I didn't want to walk her. I knew as soon as she hit it it was gone. You have to give her props. It was a great hit."
Said Ellinor: "She was jamming me inside. I had a full count and I knew I'd be getting one in the strike zone and I just nailed it. It felt good and I knew it was gone when I hit it."
It was Maisto's first loss of the season against 16 wins and just the 10th loss of her illustrious varsity career against 76 wins.
"It's a tough way to end a high school career like that but you have to give her kudos for everything else she did in this game and in her career," said BC coach Scot Sutherland, whose team finished the season 32-2 and had amassed a 128-16 record the past four years, winning the Big Northern East and regional titles in each of those seasons.
Maisto and Freeport senior Heather Jurs were locked in a pitchers duel all day in a game that had a 34-minute delay for lightning and rain and was played thereafter in a steady rainfall.
The Rockets, who had a 24-game winning streak snapped, threatened in several innings but Jurs got out of jam after jam. BC left 5 runners on base, all in scoring position.
The Rockets' best chance came in the bottom of the sixth when Brooke Porto, the only other senior on the team and also a four-year varsity player, opened the inning with a hard single to left. She stole second and when Freeport made an error on the play, Porto scampered to third. The Pretzels' throw to third went awry and Sutherland sent Porto home, where she was out by about 10 feet.
"I wasn't going to leave anybody on anymore," said Sutherland of his decision to send Porto home. "I second-guessed myself earlier in the game about what I did and I wasn't going to waste that opportunity.
The Rockets had another golden opportunity to score in the third inning. Junior standout Kayla Oranger legged out a one-out infield hit and stole second just before the rain delay. After the delay, junior Brittany Priest dumped a single over the second baseman's head and the possibility of the ball being caught and the wet field made Oranger stop at third. But Jurs got Porto to pop out and Sam Gruner to hit a comebacker to the circle to end the threat.
While each team had other chances, Maisto and Jurs were dominant. Maisto struck out eight, walked none and allowed just 4 hits in 8-plus innings. She gave way to junior Mackenzie Scott after Ellinor's home run.
Jurs, meanwhile, gave up 6 hits and also struck out eight and walked none.
"I thought it would be this type of game," said Sutherland. Both teams had a lot of opportunities but both pitchers pitched great games. It's tough."
The toughest part is always the end, which it was for Maisto and Porto.
"It's been such a great ride with all these girls," said Maisto, who will continue her career at Division II Upper Iowa University next year. "Our team has been awesome. It's been amazing and we've had great success.."
Success that will never be defined by just one pitch.