Taylor Vescogni pitches L-P to victory in state-ranked battle with Sycamore

When two of the top ranked teams in the state get together, fans, players and coaches expect a great game.

Throw on top of that a chance at the Interstate 8 Conference lead along with an 18-game winning streak on the line and the excitement builds even more.

La Salle-Peru, ranked No. 3 in the latest Illinois Coaches Association Class 3A poll, and No. 4 Sycamore did not disappoint Monday at the L-P Sports Complex as the Cavaliers edged the Spartans 3-1 in a pitchers’ duel to extend their winning streak to 19.

L-P improved to 24-3 overall and 7-0 in the conference with three league games left. Every other conference team has at least two losses.

Right from the start, it was clear this game was not going to be a repeat of the earlier contest between the teams that ended with a 10-6 L-P victory.

Taylor Vescogni struck out two in the first inning for the Cavs and then Bella Jacobs did the same for the Spartans in the bottom half of the inning.

“I think when Bella (Jacobs) saw Taylor (Vescogni) mow down the batters in the top of the first she knew she had to bring her ‘A’ game,” Sycamore coach Jill Carpenter said. “So I think the teams you saw today were the real teams that showed up, not the 10-6 game a couple weeks ago.”

Vescogni struck out eight of the first nine she faced and Jacobs fanned five.

Addie McLaughlin reached on a walk for the games first base runner in the fourth, but Vescogni shut down the Spartans after that.

Sycamore third baseman Ema Durst made a nice snag on a Karmen Piano liner in the bottom half and the score remained scoreless through four innings.

In the top of the fifth, the Spartans (20-3-1, 5-2) got the game’s first hit as Durst smacked a single up the middle and then took second on the passed ball.

With two outs, Kait Williams reached on an error, allowing Durst to score and make it a 1-0 Sycamore lead.

L-P got its first hit of the game in the fifth with a Makenzie Chamberlain single, but the Cavs remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth.

Grace Pecchio put down a bunt single to start the inning and two batters later, Piano crushed an RBI double into the left-field gap, tying the game.

Callie Mertes ripped a go-ahead RBI triple down the right-field line that scored Piano to put the Cavs ahead 2-1.

“Coach was giving me one shot to hit,” Mertes said. “And I took advantage of my chance and we got the lead.”

L-P coach Randy Huebbe planned to have Mertes bunt the next pitch.

“I told her, ‘I’m giving you one swing,’” Huebbe said. “If she didn’t get the hit we were putting the squeeze play on and she took big-time advantage of her chance. That’s why she’s the schools all-time hits leader.”

Kelsey Frederick then did put the bunt down and reached on a fielder’s choice as the catcher ran down Mertes headed back to third base.

Frederick hustled to second during the rundown and as Durst fired to second to try for the double play, the ball was went into right field, allowing Frederick to score to give L-P a 3-1 lead.

The Spartans went down 1-2-3 in the seventh as Vescogni struck out the final batter to give her 14 on the afternoon. She allowed an unearned run on one hit.

“Both teams and pitchers came to play today,” Vescogni said. “The conditions weren’t great last time, but this time every single pitch I just tired to lock in and hit the spots I was supposed to.”

Jacobs took the loss, giving up three runs (two earned) and striking out nine.

The Cavs held a pink night to raise money for a family affected by cancer.

“I want to thank everyone for supporting the pink game for cancer,” Huebbe said. “We’re going to take the money and give it to a family that deserves it and they can do what they wish with it.”