After leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and fifth innings, the DeKalb baseball team loaded them up again in the sixth.

This time, Evan Johnson made sure the Barbs didn’t leave empty-handed, lacing a three-run triple to right field as DeKalb came back from six runs down to tie the DuPage Valley Conference contest against Neuqua Valley on Tuesday.

Whether it results in a win remains to be seen. The game was suspended due to darkness after seven innings tied at 6-6.

Johnson came to bat with the bases loaded in the fifth and the Barbs (12-8-1 overall, 3-6 DVC) down 3-0. He struck out, the sixth and final strikeout victim of Neuqua Valley starter Josh Repmann.

“Earlier in the game I had an opportunity with the bases loaded and I didn’t capitalize. I was pulling off everything,” Johnson said. “The mindset was just stay through the ball and go [opposite field]. I got a pitch to hit, took it oppo and it got over his head. We got a triple out of it, scored three and it was a big momentum change there.”

Repmann took a no-hitter into the fifth, but Gavin Cheney ripped a double to left to start the sixth. He scored on a single by Breydon Martin, who came home on a wild pitch, making the score 6-2.

Eventually, the top of the order came up with No. 7 hitter Luke Duffy on third after he singled, No. 8 hitter Benny Probst on second after Repmann mishandled a bunt, and No. 9 hitter Ryan Duffy walked.

But reliever JP Polcyn struck out Caden Smith and Cole Latimer and the Barbs seemed like they were going to leave the bases loaded for a third straight inning until Johnson uncorked his triple.

“You always have that feeling Evan’s going to come through,” DeKalb coach Josh Latimer said. “He did a great job of putting it in play, pulling it to the right side and hitting it deep.”

Hunter Kriese turned in a masterful pitching performance of his own until Neuqua Valley (8-13, 3-6) started capitalizing on some key DeKalb errors in the fifth and sixth innings.

The Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth. Kriese struck out Kaden Kraemer, the 10th of his 11 strikeout victims. Jaleel Glover followed with a bunt back to Kriese, but Cheney mishandled the throw and a run scored.

Andy Barkley followed with a pop-up just beyond the dirt and out of the reach of second baseman Benny Probst with the bases loaded and one out. The ball fell, but Johnson was there charging in and threw the runner out going to second, although the second run scored.

The third run and final run of the inning scored on a delayed steal of home, with Barkley getting caught in a rundown and the Barbs electing to get him out and allowing Jack Mackey to score.

The Wildcats scored three more in the sixth. Danny Mikuta had a two-run double and Mackey had an RBI single to push the lead to 6-0.

It looked like that would be more than enough for Repmann, who was cruising through the first five innings. He pitched five-plus innings, allowing six hits and two walks.

“He’s proven himself to be the ace of the staff,” Neuqua Valley coach James Thornton said. “He goes out, competes and always keeps us in games. ... He pounds the zone and he’s proven himself to be more than a thrower. He’s a pitcher.”

Mikuta scored twice and had two RBIs. For DeKalb, Martin had a pair of hits and scored.

Monday’s opener of the three-game series between the teams in Naperville was rained out and was moved to Wednesday. A conclusion date for Tuesday’s suspended game has not been determined.

Johnson said when the teams finally, potentially, play their first full game Wednesday, the Barbs can’t wait to start swinging the bats well.

“I think we can carry [the momentum] into tomorrow and maybe put some runs up earlier in the game instead of waiting until the last few innings,” Johnson said about the Barbs, who scored 10 of their runs in a 12-8 win against Sycamore on Saturday in the fifth and sixth innings. “We’ve been struggling with that, putting runs up early. But I think the momentum we had can carry us in the first couple innings and keep us going.”

https://www.shawlocal.com/daily-chronicle/2026/05/06/evan-johnson-2-out-triple-keys-dekalbs-6-run-6th-before-game-suspended-in-6-6-tie-against-neuqua-valley/