Burlington sneaks by Rochelle
A big defensive play was the spark the Burlington Central offense needed Tuesday.
Audrey Djukic, Emily Bell and Bekah Harnish combined to cut down a Rochelle runner at home to end the top of the third inning and keep the Rockets’ deficit at five. The Rockets scored 4 runs in the bottom of the inning and 3 more in the fifth to rally for a 9-8 victory over the Hubs in the Class 3A Kaneland softball regional semifinals.
Top-seeded Central will play the winner of today’s scheduled semifinal between Kaneland and Sycamore in the 11 a.m. championship game Saturday.
“That was huge. I think that made the game,” Bell said of the play at the plate. “That got everything going.”
Each team homered in the first inning. Rochelle got a leadoff homer from Christina Williams. Central (17-16) took the lead on a 2-run shot from Haley Albamonte.
The fourth-seeded Hubs scored 6 runs in the second off Kelsey Johnson to take a 7-2 lead. Five of the runs came with two outs.
In the top of the third, a one-out walk and single put runners on first and second. Johnson was removed for Rebecca Roscher, who pitched to the first six batters of the game before being taken out. Roscher got Kathryn Buck to bunt the ball in the air and it was caught by Harnish. Hope Smith then singled to center. Djukic came up with the single and hit the cutoff person, Bell. Bell fired home to Harnish to get Tracy Ellis and keep the Hubs’ lead at 7-2.
Harnish walked to lead off the bottom of the third. After a strikeout, Albamonte singled. Bell followed with a long home run to center field to make it 7-5. Roscher singled and scored on a Djukic bunt single as the Rockets cut the deficit to 7-6.
“The girls came in (after the top of the third) and I said something about the big momentum and the girls jumped on it,” Central coach Cray Allen said. “That lead right into our offense.”
Central added three more in the fifth. Bell doubled, stole third and scored on a throwing error to tie the game at 7-7. Sarah Kisch, who singled, scored on a wild pitch and Djukic scored on a Harnish single for a 9-7 lead.
The Hubs added a run in the sixth and got a leadoff double in the seventh from Bailey Johnson. Roscher got the next three batters on a fly out and two lineouts, the final out coming on a leaping catch from second baseman Lauren King.
Roscher (10-5) allowed 9 hits and 2 runs, six of the hits and one run after she came back into the circle in the third.
“This was the first time she’s ever been called for the illegal pitch (three in the first inning). It was kind of a wrench in our plans,” Allen said. “She seemed very confident she had gotten it figured out. We thought we’d bring her back in and give her another chance.”