Alaynna Johnson just wanted to find a spot a Kaneland player wasn’t. She did the next best thing, finding a crowded spot in the basepaths.

Johnson’s two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the fourth got past shortstop Luciana Campise, scoring Sarah Foltz and Emma Hart in the DeKalb softball team’s 3-2 win over the Knights in the final game of the DeKalb Strikeout Cancer Classic on Saturday.

“I just wanted to find a hole in the field,” Johnson said. “I didn’t want to hit it directly to somebody. And just wanted to get the ball down.”

The lead gave the Barbs (13-9) just enough of a cushion in the win. The Knights (15-12-1) scored a run in the seventh and had runners on first and second with no outs.

Both teams also played North Boone on Saturday, with the Barbs losing 12-1 but Kaneland beating the Vikings for a second straight Saturday in a one-run game in a neutral site, 4-3.

Campise doubled to start the seventh, Makayla Jonutz walked and a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Madison Anderson grounded to Johnson at short, who tried to get Rylee Dorneden, Jonutz’s pinch runner, going back to second. She was safe and Campise scored, making it 3-2.

But Rodriguez escaped the jam, striking out leadoff hitter Riley Cooper, getting Madison Kossakowski to hit into a fielder’s choice at third, then striking out Ansley Ruh to end the game.

“We wanted this victory. The determination came through,” said Rodriguez, who missed a couple weeks earlier this season with an arm injury. “I usually don’t feel a lot of pressure, but knowing I had a team behind that has my back every play - top notch. Best thing.”

Rodriguez threw a complete game five-hitter, striking out six and walking three. Both runs were earned.

DeKalb scored an unearned run in the first off Ellie Peck, who lasted two innings. Johnson reached on an error and scored on a single by Kennedy Latimer.

Peck was lifted after striking out the final three batters faced in the second and Riley Cooper came in. Cooper allowed three hits, all in the fourth inning. Foltz and Hart both singled before Gabby Kenney walked and Johnson singled, scoring Foltz and Hart.

DeKalb coach Erica Swan said Johnson has been a great table setter for the Barbs this year and she was proud of the leadoff hitter for coming through in a two-out RBI situation.

Swan also said she was proud of both Rodriguez and catcher Cassidy Cavazos for handling things in the seventh. Swan said she handed pitch-calling duties over to Cavazos for a batter or two.

“It’s wonderful to see a pitcher and catcher in sync with each other,” Swan said. “Jas was having a little moment so I went out to settle her down. I told her this is your game to win. Stay within yourself and believe in yourself and have confidence in yourself to do this. That was the determining factor today.”

Lillyana Crawford doubled in the fourth and scored a sacrifice fly by Jonutz to tie the game at 1-1. Cooper pitched four innings, allowed three hits, three walks and struck out three.

It’s been an up-and-down kind of year for the Knights. They’ve beaten Sycamore, ranked No. 7 in Class 3A by the Illinois Coaches’ Association, but were swept by No. 11 Ottawa.

Saturday was just the latest example of that. After the Knights beat North Boone, ranked No. 5 in the Class 2A ICA poll, they lost to the Barbs in another one-run game.

“I think once we’re all coming together, we’re good,” Cooper said. “We just have to focus on keeping the energy and being there for each other.”

Cooper was 2 for 3 against North Boone and Kossakowski scored twice. The Knights are 8-7-1 in games decided by two runs or less this year. Kaneland coach Mike Kueffler declined to comment after the DeKalb game.

The Barbs’ only run against the Vikings came when Latimer doubled in the fourth, then with two outs Naz Dean doubled her home.

“I was really, really happy about the reflection they did as a team and independently after the first game,” Swan said. “They focused on the things they can control, like energy and staying positive. They showed they can come back from anything if they don’t give up, keep up high energy and believe in themselves.”