Alaynna Johnson drives in 5 as DeKalb tops Genoa-Kingston

GENOA – Erica Swan spent five years as Genoa-Kingston’s head softball coach before taking over at DeKalb this season.

Her players were well aware of this when the Barbs headed north to take on the Cogs, posting four runs to break open a tie game in the fifth inning of a 7-3 victory.

“We knew we had to get them,” said DeKalb freshman first baseman Alaynna Johnson, who drove in five runs in the game.

The teams traded three-run first innings, but then the bats cooled off on both sides until the top of the fifth.

The Barbs (12-10) had only one hit off Genoa-Kingston starter Lizzy Davis through the first four innings, but Cassidy Cavazos and Izzy Aranda started the inning with singles.

Johnson followed with a triple and scored on an error, putting the Barbs up 6-3.

“It’s just all about the talking and hyping each other up to focus on the next thing,” Johnson said. “I’m just looking for a line-drive hit, bring our [runners] around. Just contact.”

With two outs, Emma Hart and Jasmine Rodriguez restarted the inning with singles. Hart scored on a single by Hazel Montavon to push the lead to 7-3.

Swan said she thought the Barbs got more patient as the game went on, relaxed and got better at being on top of the ball.

“We found our bats,” Swan said. “We did well starting out hitting, but kind of died out a little bit there.”

DeKalb scored three in the top of the first, two on a single by Johnson that brought home Ayla Gould and Cavazos. It was the only hit of the inning for the Barbs, who drew a pair of walks off Davis and benefited from the first of four Genoa-Kingston errors in the game.

The Cogs answered with three of their own in the bottom of the inning off of DeKalb starter Cavazos. Davis brought home Olivia Vasak on a fielder’s choice, then Arielle Rich and Brooklynn Ordlock had back-to-back RBI singles.

Rodriguez came on to relieve Cavazos with the bases loaded and one out, striking out the first two batters she faced.

The Cogs got three hits the rest of the way. Rodriguez struck out seven and walked three in 6⅔ innings.

“She handled the adversity of that very well,” Swan said of Rodriguez’s lengthy relief appearance. “She rose to the occasion. She’s really been gritting it out and I’m really proud of how she’s been mentally tough in situations like that in tight games.”

Genoa-Kingston coach Andrew Freund said the pitching change had a big part to do with the Cogs’ bats cooling off.

“We played competitively,” Freund said. “They’re both good pitchers, but [Rodriguez] pitched well. We hit a lot of balls right at them. It’s just the way it is.”

It was the third win in a row this week for the Barbs, including a pair of conference wins against Neuqua Valley and Metea Valley. They had lost seven in a row before that.

Swan said her return to Genoa came with a lot of emotions.

“It was a place I loved coaching,” Swan said. “It’s a place I had a lot of learning opportunities and success. I still love my kids that are still here and wish them all the best. ... But obviously still wanted to get the win. A game is a game, right?”