Woodstock North left-handed starter Kylee Nicholson didn’t mind a pitching change against Marengo in the final inning Tuesday if it meant another Thunder win.

Nicholson, a junior, wiggled out of a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the top of the sixth inning without allowing a run, but walked the first two batters in the seventh.

So first-year coach Gwen Malecke called on senior Makayla Nordahl, who worked around a one-out walk and left the bases full for the second inning in a row.

Nordahl struck out Allie Tucker for out No. 2 and got Marengo’s all-time home run and RBI leader, Gabby Christopher, to ground out for the final out of a tense, 5-3 win in Woodstock.

“That was a very high pressure moment. I was nervous for her,” Nicholson said of Nordahl’s seventh-inning clinching performance. “I was so happy that she was able to come in and pick me up. I think the pitching change was the best thing to do for the fourth time around the order.”

The win puts the Thunder (11-3, 8-0) in the driver’s seat for their first Kishwaukee River Conference championship, leaving the second-place Indians (10-12, 5-3,) three games back. North swept the season series after beating Marengo 9-8 on April 9.

Malecke feels lucky to have two pitchers she can count on.

They’re each other’s biggest fans.

“Those two, they work so well together. They have such positive attitudes about going in and out and working with each other,” Malecke said. “They’re always communicating with each other about, ‘Hey, they’re doing this, they’re doing that.’ They’re phenomenal and they’re workhorses. They work so hard and it really shows in those big situations.”

Nicholson picked up the win, allowing three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and four walks in six-plus innings. She also provided a game-tying solo homer to center field in the fifth, before the Thunder added two more in the sixth.

Nicholson’s blast was a long time coming.

“I was telling everybody today I’m hitting a home run,” said Nicholson, a Western Illinois commit. “I haven’t hit one since I was like 13. So it felt very nice. I was so excited.”

Freshman shortstop Kylee Jordan put the Thunder in the lead in the sixth with a double to center field to score Hailey Campos, who walked to lead off the inning and reached third when the Indians couldn’t field a bunt by Nordahl. Gwen Lalor, who pinch ran for Nordahl, later came around to score on a groundout by junior Maddie Nordahl.

“It felt really good,” said Jordan (2 for 3, two RBIs), who also hit an RBI double in the second. “My hitting hasn’t been that good lately. This game, my bat just came alive.”

Campos finished 2 for 2 with a double and two runs scored for North, while Marengo was led by Christopher (2 for 3), who put her team ahead in the top of the first with a two-run homer that snuck over the center-field fence.

Tied at 3-3 in the sixth, North intentionally walked Christopher to put runners on first and second with one out. The next batter, Ari Rodriguez, ripped a hard hit to center field but Allyson Schaid threw a bullet home to keep Tucker from rounding third base and scoring.

With the bases loaded, Thunder third baseman Addy Crabill made two strong plays on groundouts for the final two outs – the first one throwing out the potential go-ahead run at home plate.

In the fourth, Maddie Nordahl threw out a runner at home plate from left field.

“Our defense has come up big for us all season long,” Malecke said. “My outfielders’ arms are strong. They take good angles, attack hard and are working through the ball. ... It definitely takes a lot of stress off of me and everyone else getting the ball in quick.”

Emma Anderson smacked an RBI double for Marengo in the fifth, while Rodriguez finished 2 for 3. Starting pitcher Ellie White allowed five runs (three earned) over six innings, striking out four and walking two with seven hits allowed.

Marengo coach Dwain Nance came away impressed by the Thunder offense in their two matchups.

“No. 1, they don’t really strike out. It’s tough to get an out,” Nance said. “They’re lefties put the ball in play, and they’re very dynamic, very diverse. They don’t just stand up there and do one thing, and that makes it really tough as a coach. They just put the ball in play and put a lot of pressure on the defense. They cause a little bit of havoc for us.”