It took 11 innings, but the Kewanee High School vastly softball team eventually prevailed 9-6 over Erie-Prophetstown.
Kewanee opened the scoring in the first when 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 when 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 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 second base and advancing to third by tagging up on a Remy Hicks fly ball, Currier scored on a passed ball to give Kewanee the advantage, 4-3.
Erie-Prophetstown tied the game at four in the bottom of the sixth following a tag up on a sacrifice fly.
Kewanee’s Addy Yepsen led off the seventh 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.
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 11th when Kieryn Abernathy led off with a single to right. Macce Pickering doubled to left advancing Abernathy to third.
Rylee Blades was intentionally walked loading the bases. Addy Yepsen flew out to right scoring Abernathy.
Audrey Clucas singled, advancing Pickering and Blades and loading the bases again. Next, Lyric Duytschayver singled to right, scoring Pickering and Blades. Clucas stole third 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. She gave up 14 hits and six runs (five earned) while, striking out six and walking four.
Kalleigh Gale opened the game for Kewanee. She 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.
The Boiler Girls play at home on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Northeast Park against Riverdale.
