Softball: 1-2-3, and Kaneland moves on
The moment was tense. And then, as quickly as you can say 1-2-3, it was over.
With the bases loaded, one out and Kaneland holding a tenuous 5-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning, Knights freshman pitcher McKenna Ryan induced Rock Falls' Faith Sandrock to hit a comebacker to the circle. Ryan fielded the ball, threw home to Lauren Callahan for the second out then Callahan fired to Hannah Theobald at first and just like that Kaneland won the Class 3A Marengo sectional softball championship.
The fourth sectional championship in program history and first since 2015 puts the Knights (25-9) on their home field at 4:30 p.m. Monday for supersectional play against Vernon Hills (18-18), a 5-4 winner over Prairie Ridge Saturday in the Grayslake Central sectional final. Kaneland will be seeking its third state finals appearance in program history.
"It was self-defense," smiled Ryan of fielding the game-ending grounder. "Once I got it I kind of hesitated but then I realized we had a chance for the double play."
Ryan came into the game in relief of sophomore lefthander Emilee Erickson with Kaneland ahead 5-2 with one out and runners at second and third in the top of the sixth. She quickly got a pop up and a routine grounder to end the Rock Falls threat.
"I was so nervous," Ryan said of coming into a sectional championship game in that situation. "But then I remembered before my first game against Nazareth what (assistant) coach Haley (Albamonte) reminded me of - that I've played in hundreds of softball games and I'm there for a reason. I just kept playing that in my head. I had confidence but I knew they were a good hitting team. I just had to pitch my best and hit my spots."
Albamonte, a key player on Burlington Central's 2009 third place state team that, ironically, beat Vernon Hills in the supersectional round, and Kaneland head coach Mike Kuefler had complete faith in Ryan on Saturday.
"She pitched seven innings against Rock Falls (in an 8-2 Northern Illinois Big XII win on May 15) and beat them so we were completely confident in her," Kuefler said. "We had no problems going to McKenna at that point and she was going to pitch the seventh inning anyway."
The Knights, who won their 14th straight, spotted the Rockets a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning but came right back and tied the game in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Donatella Sommesi led off with a double to left-center and with two outs, Theobald singled her home.
Kaneland made it a 5-0 game in the third, plating 4 runs on 5 hits.
With one out Sommesi walked and Rose Roach was safe when the first baseman pulled her foot off the bag on Roach's bunt. Hailey Roach followed with an RBI single and Theobald drove in a run with a double to left-center. When the throw from the outfield sailed over the Rock Falls catcher's head, Hailey Roach scored to make it 4-1. Theobald scored Kaneland's final run on Kaitlyn Kurzrock's groundout.
Rock Falls (24-7) scored in the top of the sixth to make it a 5-2 game then again in the seventh to make it 5-3 before Ryan was able to start the game-ending double play.
And now it's back home for the Knights, who stand one win away from a trip to East Peoria and the state finals.
"We're excited," Kuefler said. "We've got another game. The girls are confident and with every win they gain more confidence."