Named a captain last year as a junior, Prairie Ridge’s Emma Dallas quietly goes about her business.

There’s nothing flashy about it.

“She’s sort of like the quiet leader of the team, but she wants to win so bad,” Wolves coach Scott Busam said. “She loves playing for her school, she loves playing in these jerseys and she does not want this to end.”

After pulling a single into left field in her third at-bat, Prairie Ridge’s No. 5 hitter felt good about her timing against Kaneland senior Ellie Peck and picked the perfect time for one of the biggest hits of her career.

With the Wolves and Knights still scoreless in the bottom of the ninth, Dallas connected on a 3-2 pitch. She sent a line drive into right-center field with two outs, and courtesy runner Karsyn Ledgerwood flew around the bases from first to home as Prairie Ridge beat Kaneland 1-0 in nine innings to claim the Class 3A Belvidere North Sectional title.

Prairie Ridge (23-7), last year’s third-place finisher, advances to play Antioch in the Kaneland Supersectional at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

“I love this group of girls so much, and it means so much to do it with them,” said Dallas, who collected two of her team’s three hits against Peck. “I had already timed her up in the previous at-bat and I felt pretty confident going up. I was just trying not to let the moment get too big. Fouled off some pitches, saw the changeup and just drove it.”

Peck and Prairie Ridge senior starter Reese Mosolino were locked in a pitchers’ duel, with the game’s first hit a two-out single by Prairie Ridge’s Bella Moore in the bottom of the sixth. Kaneland (18-13-1) only had one hit against Mosolino, a two-out infield single that bounced off her glove.

Mosolino stranded runners on first and third with two outs in the top of the ninth after No. 9 hitter Brynn Woods reached on an error. She got a groundout to second baseman Parker Frey to end the threat. It was the first time a Kaneland runner got into scoring position.

“They told us it was going to be a dogfight today, and I knew I had to give my best,” said Mosolino, an Indiana commit. “Last inning when there was a girl on third, I was like, ‘OK, just keep calm.’ I took a deep breath and said ”OK, I have to go after her now.’

Mosolino struck out nine with just the one hit and one walk allowed. She was efficient, too, tossing 88 of 117 pitches for strikes.

“I’ve said this before, but in the biggest moments, that’s when Reese wants the ball,” Busam said. “She wants to be in the circle, and I wouldn’t want anybody else out there.”

Peck, a Lewis commit, was equally strong for Kaneland, allowing just three hits over 8⅔ innings. She walked three and struck out seven. As the game went longer, Peck could feel the tension.

“It was horrible,” Peck said. “I was getting a little nervous because it was still 0-0. I was just throwing and hoping that we’d keep making the plays and just keep holding them.

“I’m so proud of how far we come. We had a little rough (showing) in conference, but I think we pulled it together. We worked really hard to get here.”

Prairie Ridge’s Reese Vrba drew a full-count walk with two outs in the ninth to set up Dallas’ game-winning hit. Ledgerwood, who has only been used off the bench as a runner recently because of injury, was told by Busam on the bus ride to be ready if needed.

The freshman entered as a courtesy runner and slid into home plate as Dallas stood on second, and the Wolves rushed the infield to celebrate.

“I said do not settle in and get comfy,” Busam said. “You need to be running, stretching, there could come a time I need you to score a huge run.”

Kaneland, which graduates four – Peck, Woods, Natalie Naab and Madison Anderson – captured its fifth regional title in six seasons. The Knights were trying to win their first sectional in four years.

“(Mosolino) kept us off balance, and none of my kids were able to put the ball in play solid,” Kaneland coach Mike Kuefler said. “Nine innings, we’re going back and forth and what it boiled down to is the first team that makes a mistake or hiccup. They took advantage of what we gave them.

“These young ladies coming back, we told them, ‘Just remember how it feels,’ and let’s go back and be even better next year.”

Woods, who will play next year at UIC, came in as a pinch-hitter in the sixth and drew an eight-pitch walk against Mosolino with two outs, becoming the first Knights hitter to reach base. She reached again in the ninth on an error.

Woods said the team started to hit its stride late.

“It’s the journey throughout the whole season,” Woods said. “We’ve had our ups, we’ve had our downs, but playing for each other in the long run is what I’m really most proud about. We all came together at the right time. Today we were just all playing for each other.

“We became a family unit when postseason hit, and we never looked back.”