Softball: Marengo tops Richmond-Burton, closes in on Kishwaukee River Conference title

MARENGO – Marengo pitcher Lilly Kunzer cruised through the first five innings against Richmond-Burton but ran into trouble in the sixth and seventh innings – twice facing bases-loaded situations.

Kunzer, a senior, has been in sticky spots before and saved some of her best stuff for the perfect time.

With the tying run at third base and facing Rockets No. 5 hitter Madison Kunzer (no relation), the Indians tough right-hander reached back and fired a rise ball for the final out of the sixth to strand the bases loaded.

Kunzer again escaped trouble in the seventh, with her defense recording two outs at home plate, including the final out, and the Indians earned a 2-0 win Monday in Kishwaukee River Conference action.

“Especially with the hotter weather, I just feel like the last few games I’ve really come out and stayed on top,” Kunzer said. “I think my curve and my rise were my best they were all season. A lot of adrenaline was going through me pitching to [Madison] Kunzer. I knew I had to throw my best. I had a lot of heat on the ball tonight.”

With the win, Marengo (22-6, 10-1 KRC) moved a step closer to winning its second straight KRC title. The Indians have three games left and hold a one-game lead in the loss column on Woodstock North, which only has one game remaining. Marengo also holds the tiebreaker over North after winning both of their KRC matchups.

Marengo coach Dwain Nance thought Kunzer, who scattered six hits, walked three and struck out 10, had one of her best performances of the year. Monday was just the second time this season she has pitched a full seven innings.

“I thought Lilly pitched a gem,” Nance said. “For her to go another seven innings today was awesome. I think she’s starting to throw at the right time. Biggest thing for her is she was throwing hard and hitting spots. She was keeping the ball off the white and getting ahead of hitters.”

Kunzer also had plenty of help on defense. The Indians cut off three potential runs at home plate.

Left fielder AJ Pollnow backed up an error and threw out a run at home plate for the first out of the seventh. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, center fielder Jozsa Christiansen recorded a putout for the second out and threw home to catcher Kylee Jensen, who tagged out Gabby Hird for the game’s final out.

The Indians also threw out a runner at home in the fifth inning after a dropped fly ball by Pollnow, who recovered and threw the ball to third baseman Emily White. White turned and threw a bullet to Jensen, who tagged Madison Kunzer for the third out, at the time the potential game-tying run.

“We honestly haven’t really been doing well at that in practice,” Nance said. “We practice it every day, but our outfield played really great today. And we needed them.

“I didn’t even see the ball get away [in the seventh]. All I saw was [Pollnow] pick it up, and knew we had a chance to throw the girl out. And [Jensen] did a great job of catching and hanging onto the ball. That’s hard to do. We’ve kind of messed it up a few times this year, so that was awesome to see.”

Marengo sophomore shortstop Gabby Christopher gave her team its first run in the fourth, reaching out and poking a ball over the left field fence on a 3-2 count for her 17th homer of the season. That home run tied the team’s single-season record.

Christopher got hit on the wrist against Lockport on April 27 and had been in an offensive funk, so Monday’s home run, which turned out to be the game-winner, felt pretty sweet.

“I’ve been kind of down lately, and I know people have been waiting for the record, but it’s not something that’s so important to me. I really just wanted to be able to hit the ball hard,” Christopher said. “I did that with that home run, and I was just glad that I was able to tie the record.”

Opposing Lilly Kunzer for R-B (20-10, 10-5) was junior Hailey Holtz, who allowed two runs on five hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts.

Madison Kunzer had a double for the Rockets, and White had a double on an infield pop up that dropped in safely for the Indians. Pollnow added an RBI single in the sixth for Marengo’s second run.

Rockets coach Tylar Stanton took the blame for his team’s runners being thrown out at home plate.

“I’ll wear this one,” Stanton said. “I played a little more aggressive than maybe we needed to be, but that’s been our mentality all year. We’re going to take the extra base, we’re going to dive head first, we’re going to make them make plays, and they made plays today. I told the girls, no hanging their heads. This was a battle with two great teams and two great pitchers.”