Marengo picked up a key Kishwaukee River Conference win against Richmond-Burton on Tuesday, setting up what should be an exciting finish to the conference race.

The Indians exploded for eight runs in the top of the seventh inning and received another strong pitching performance from Lilly Kunzer in an 11-2 win. With the victory, Marengo jumped into a first-place tie with R-B, which suffered its first KRC loss.

Both teams have four conference games left, including a rematch Wednesday at Marengo. Johnsburg is a game back entering play Thursday.

[ Read more: Marengo tops Richmond-Burton, moves into 1st-place tie in KRC ]

Kunzer, a sophomore, held the Rockets to a season low in runs, allowing two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Kunzer has been tough all spring for the Indians, going 14-1 with a 2.32 ERA, 134 strikeouts and 28 walks in 99 2/3 innings.

The Indians (19-1-1, 5-1 KRC), who are 10-0-1 since a loss to Johnsburg on April 12, have mostly settled on a starting lineup during their hot stretch. Junior Mia Lulinski, a 6-foot-1 right fielder, leads the team with a .526 batting average along with 11 doubles, two triples, six homers, 31 RBIs and 23 runs scored.

Kunzer is second on the Indians with a .462 batting average and has 10 doubles, 25 RBIs and 25 runs scored. Leadoff hitter Maddy Christopher (.393 batting average), an NCAA Division I Morehead State commit, leads the team with 31 runs and 13 steals.

Senior shortstop Courtney Jasinski (.379) has collected five doubles, three triples and 25 runs, while freshman catcher Kylee Jensen (.344) has six doubles, two triples, four homers, 26 RBIs and 25 runs.

The Indians finished runner-up last year in the KRC, one loss behind co-champions R-B and Johnsburg, and fell to the Rockets, 11-9, in the Class 2A regional finals, which ended a string of 13 straight regional titles for Marengo.

Marengo was ranked 11th in this week’s Illinois Softball Coaches Association’s Class 2A poll, and R-B was No. 10. The Indians likely will leap the Rockets in the rankings after their big KRC win Tuesday.

Although the Indians did most of their damage late against R-B, they went up quickly on the Rockets with runs in the first and third innings. That’s something that Indians coach Dwain Nance likes to see.

“Our 3-4-5 hitters are hitting the ball just about as good as anybody’s 3-4-5, so it’s been nice,” Nance said. “Something we’d like to do more is get up early in games. I like being the visitor because you can always score first.

“I’m excited about where we’re at. This was a big win for us. [R-B] has been beating us up the last few years, so it’s really nice to get a win. I know we’ll get to play them again, and I’m sure we’ll see them in the postseason.”

Gators earns first FVC win: Crystal Lake South got its first FVC win of the season Wednesday with a 12-2 win over Cary-Grove. The Gators, who lost their first eight conference games, scored their most runs since a 13-1 opening-season win against Grayslake Central on March 15.

Senior catcher-infielder Alexis Pupillo and sophomore first baseman Dana Skorich have been scorching hot at the plate for South (4-12, 1-8). The sluggers have combined to drive in 48 of the Gators’ 95 runs this year.

Pupillo is hitting .714 with an area-high nine homers, 10 doubles, three triples, 22 RBIs and 26 runs scored. The Northern Iowa commit has yet to strike out in 65 plate appearances and has walked 21 times.

Skorich is hitting .483 with two home runs, five doubles and 26 RBIs. Both of her homers have come in the past three games.

Cook, Smith have strong connection for Eagles: Jacobs has alternated wins and losses a bunch this year and that’s reflected in the Golden Eagles’ 8-9 record, including a 4-5 record in the FVC. Jacobs coach Katie O’Brien said the team will go as its offense goes, but the Eagles also have received solid pitching in wins.

Pitcher Caitlin Cook held Crystal Lake South to four runs (three earned) in an 18-4 FVC win Monday, giving up five hits and striking out six in a complete-game win. Cook and catcher Liz Smith have a nice chemistry, as the juniors have played together since Little League.

Smith is making her return at catcher this season after she tore her rotator cuff.

“Coming back to catching, and catching [Cook] has been great,” Smith said. “I know how she pitches and where to call pitches. Being with players you’ve been with for awhile, you learn how they play, you know their strengths and weaknesses and just help them from there. Coming back this year catching full time has been really fun.”

Wolves having fun: Prairie Ridge (7-6, 6-5 FVC) already has as many wins as it did last season, when the Wolves went 7-13 with no wins outside of the FVC. Coach Jim Summaria has seen his young team bond on and off the field after both wins and losses.

Seven of the team’s 12 players on the roster are underclassmen, with freshmen Adysen Kiddy, Kendra Carroll, Autumn Ledgerwood and Rory Bounds all starting in Thursday’s conference loss to Burlington Central.

“We have a lot of freshman starting,” Summaria said. “They’re mature, they come through in the clutch and probably my favorite part of this team is the camaraderie and how everyone gets along. The senior captains, [catcher] Hope McHugh and [pitcher] Elena Smith, did great work to bring everyone together.

“We had events earlier in the year to get some of the team familiar, and that really worked. Kids really like each other, and they keep pulling for each other. They give 100% all of the time and there’s 100% friendship. That’s what I love about them.”

Rockets regroup after tough loss: Tuesday’s game against Marengo got away from Richmond-Burton, but first year-coach Tylar Stanton said the team will use it as a learning experience. Players stayed back and continued their postgame huddle after coaches left the infield. R-B had a quick turnaround Wednesday and beat Wauconda, 8-7.

The Rockets (10-3) had some uncharacteristic mistakes in the field against Marengo and had some bad luck, too, with a few high fly balls dropping and finding outfield grass. There also was a three-run home run taken off the board after umpires called it foul.

“There are three ‘Es’ that we talk about, and [Marengo] beat us in all three. That’s effort, energy and execution,” Stanton said. “Nobody has struck out less against us than they did today. [Marengo] put the ball in play and made us make plays. You get a rough, windy day and a couple of duck snorts, and that’s the game.

“It’s an opportunity for us to restart. They get an hour to soak in this one and then they get to think about Wauconda. At 2:30 when the bell rings, it’s game day and it’s ready to go and have a different mindset.”