It was a game for the books as the Kewanee Boiler Girls softball team outlasted Erie-Prophetstown, securing a 9-6 win in a rain-soaked, back-and-forth showdown on Thursday. The lead changed hands multiple times, with Dani Jo Currier and Macee Pickering sparking key rallies. Tied at five going into extra innings, Kewanee erupted for four runs in the eleventh, with Lyric Duytschaver delivering a clutch two-run single. Duytschaver also delivered nine strong innings in relief, striking out six. The Boiler Girls will look to maintain momentum against Riverdale on Friday at 4:30 PM at Northeast Park.
Kewanee opened the scoring in the first after Dani Jo Currier scored on a passed ball.
Erie-Prophetstown captured the lead, 2-1, in the bottom of the third.
The Boiler Girls pulled back ahead, 3-2, in the top of the fourth after a Macee Pickering ground ball scored Remy Hicks and a Rylee Blades sacrifice fly scored Kieryn Abernathy after tagging up.
Erie-Prophetstown tied the game at three in the bottom of the fourth.
Kewanee Varsity Boilermakers took the lead in the top of the sixth with Dani Jo Currier leading off the inning with a hard hit to left field. After stealing 2nd base and advancing to 3rd by tagging up on a Remy Hicks fly ball, Currier scored on a passed ball to give Kewanee the advantage, 4-3.
Erie-Prophetstown tie the game at four in the bottom of the sixth following a tag up on a sacrifice fly.
Addy Yepsen lead off the 7th inning with a big triple to right center field and eventually scored on a single by Lyric Duytschaver to give Kewanee the lead, 5-4, in the top of the seventh.
Erie-Prophetstown tied the game at five in the bottom of the seventh on an error by Kewanee.
The score remained 5-5 until the top of the eleventh when Kieryn Abernathy lead off with a single to right. Macce Pickering doubled to left advancing Abernathy to 3rd. Rylee Blades was intentionally walked loading the bases. Addy Yepsen flew out to right scoring Abernathy after tagging up. Audrey Clucas singled advancing Pickering and Blades loading the bases again. Next, Lyric Duytschayver singled to right, scoring Pickering and Blades. Clucas stole 3rd and home pushing the Boiler Girls to 9-5 lead.
E-P scored one run in the bottom of the inning but that’s where the rally died.
Duytschaver pitched nine innings in relief for Kewanee Varsity Boilermakers. The pitcher gave up 14 hits and six runs (five earned) while, striking out six and walking four. Kalleigh Gale opened the game for Kewanee Varsity Boilermakers. The pitcher gave up one hit and zero runs over two innings, striking out one and walking two.
Duytschaver went 2-5 on the day and led Kewanee with three runs batted in. Pickering also collected two hits for Kewanee. Audrey Clucas and Dani Jo Currier each stole multiple bases for Kewanee.