Prep softball: DeKalb’s season ends in walk-off fashion to Rockford Auburn

HAMPSHIRE – Rockford Auburn kept scoring, and DeKalb kept coming back.

Finally, Auburn ended the game with a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh for a 5-4 win in a Class 4A Hampshire Regional semifinal Wednesday.

“I think it shows we can still fight no matter what,” said DeKalb starting pitcher and cleanup hitter Ayla Baty Gould, who had three hits and three RBIs in the win. “We weren’t ready for our season to be done, and we wanted to fight to get it. It just ended up not going our way.”

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DeKalb's Madison Hallaron catches a foul popup during their Class 4A regional semifinal game against Rockford Auburn Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at Hampshire High School. (Mark Busch)

Lily Parr started the scoring for the victorious Knights (17-13) with a solo home run in the bottom of the first. But the Barbs (4-21) took a 3-1 lead after the third.

Naz Dean started the rally with a single, Hazel Montavon reached on an error, and Emma Hart doubled to score Dean. Baty-Gould came up with a key two-out single to put the Barbs ahead for the first time.

Baty-Gould also pitched a complete game for the Barbs, allowing four earned runs. Auburn scored one run in each of the last four innings en route to the win.

“She works really hard, and that’s not her natural position,” DeKalb coach Haley Albamonte said. “It’s not her preferred position, but she’s such a strong athlete and competes in every situation. So I’m proud of her for that.”

The Barbs were down 4-3 in the top of the seventh, but Baty-Gould came up with a single to drive in Montavon. In the bottom of the seventh, Auburn’s Mylee Baker hit a bases-loaded, no-out single to score Eva Ostergard and win the game.

DeKalb’s Sydney Myles recorded a pair of outfield assists in the game to help keep the score close. KayKay Hudson doubled home a run in the fourth to make it 3-2 DeKalb, but Myles threw her out at the plate after a single by Alyssa Lowery.

“We weren’t ready for our season to be done and we wanted to fight to get it. It just ended up not going our way.”

—  Ayla Baty Gould, DeKalb starting pitcher and cleanup hitter

In the sixth, Hudson reached on an error by third baseman Izzy Aranda, then took a wide turn around third on another single to center by Lowery. She tried heading back to third, but catcher Maddy Hallaron and Aranda caught her in a rundown.

“Sydney and Maddy were just on fire today,” Albamonte said. “They made a big difference in them not getting leads. We got a lot of key outs at the plate, Sydney had a perfect throw, Maddy held on to the tag. ... I’m very proud of them on that. And I think the rundown later on, Izzy had a little error on the throw, but we get her out. She kind of bounced back with that and I’m proud of her.”

Baty-Gould had three of DeKalb’s seven hits in the game, driving in three runs while Montavon scored twice. Hart had a double, an RBI and a run scored.

DeKalb’s season ended with the loss, while the Knights will face Hampshire in the championship game at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Baty-Gould said with the number players returning for the Barbs, she’s optimistic about next season. Albamonte said there are a lot of young players who should make an impact next year, and given the fight the team showed Wednesday, she too is optimistic about the future.

“It stinks being in the conference we’re in, not always coming out on top, but we play tough competition,” Albamonte said of the Barbs’ 1-14 conference mark this year. “We’re always in competitive game situations that just make us better. This group fights really well. ... I know our record is kind of, unfortunately, not always in our favor, but we’re competitive, and that’s what matters.”