Allie Abell shuts out DeKalb as Dixon wins regular-season finale

DeKALB – Both Allie Abell and her Dixon teammates are heading into the postseason with a little confidence boost.

A day after DeKalb scored 17 runs, Abell tossed a three-hitter and became the first pitcher to shutout the Barbs this season in a 4-0 win for the Duchesses on Tuesday.

“I was trusting my defense so I knew if they did hit they had it covered,” Abell said. “I was just playing stress-free, not worrying about it.”

Dixon (11-10) got all the offense it needed in the first inning when Bailey Tegeler and Delaney Bruce singled to lead off the game. Tegler scored on a single by Abby Hicks and Bruce scored on a wild pitch.

Breanna Tegeler singled to score Hicks and stake the Duchesses to a 3-0 lead.

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Dixon’s Bailey Tegeler slides in with a stolen base as the ball gets by DeKalb's Hazel Montavon Thursday, May 22, 2025, during their game at DeKalb High School. (Mark Busch)

“I think we did really good even though we had a few errors,” Abell said. “We were just hitting. The energy was really high. I think it was one of our best games.”

After the big first, DeKalb starter Jasmine Rodriguez settled down. She allowed only five more hits the rest of the way and gave up an unearned run in the third.

She finished the game with seven strikeouts and three walks. On Wednesday, the Barbs (16-15) came back from 8-3 down to beat Metea Valley 17-14. Rodriguez gave up four earned runs in an inning of work.

“I’m super proud of Jas’ performance,” DeKalb coach Erica Swan said. “First inning, she had a little difficulty finding the zone but bounced back and threw a great rest of the game. I’m proud of her performance.”

Swan said the team struggled to make adjustments against Abell’s off-speed pitches.

“I think that this year we’ve struggled with not-as-quick pitching,” Swan said. “So I think we struggled mechanically to make something happen.”

The Barbs’ best chance to score came when Cassidy Cavazos was hit by a pitch to start the fourth then Izzy Aranda singled her up to second.

But Abell got the next three batters to escape the jam, and escaped a two-out rally by the Barbs in the sixth after a single by Kennedy Latimer and an error.

“I feel like they bounced back after a few errors,” Dixon coach Candi Rogers said of her team’s four errors in the game. “Allie was pitching well and hitting her spots. We were confident in that changeup so that helped us.”

Kennedy Haenitsch had three hits and drove in a run for the Duchesses.

It was the regular-season finale for both teams. No. 5 Dixon will host a Class 3A regional, playing No. 3 Belvidere North at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

No. 2 Sterling or No. 7 Rochelle awaits the winner in the May 30 championship game with the winner advancing to the Sycamore sectional.

“I’m really confident next week against Belvidere [North],” Abell said. “I think if we play like we did today, we’ve got it.”

The No. 4 Barbs will face No. 5 Auburn in a semifinal of the Class 4A Hononegah Regional. The winner faces either No. 1 Hononegah or No. 6 Guilford in the finals May 30.

Swan said she was proud of her team’s performance this year, particularly coming off a 4-20 season a year ago. After never winning more than one conference game a year since joining the DuPage Valley, they finished 6-9 in league play and took third.

The 16 wins this year is more than the last four years combined and the most the Barbs have had in a season since taking fourth in state in 2016, finishing 26-8.

“Sixteen wins in the regular season is a great accomplishment from where we were last year,” Swan said. “I’m proud of what they did. They’ve put in a lot of hard work and they’ve really grown. They come in with the right mindset every game and we’re looking to increase that next season. I’m proud of everything they did this season to get where they have so far.”