Softball: Rock Falls’ Peyton Smit, Nicolette Udell hit home runs in victory over Forreston

ROCK FALLS – It was a big game for Rock Falls batters Thursday against Forreston.

In a 17-2, four-inning win over the Cardinals, the Rockets racked up 14 hits, including a two-run home run by freshman right fielder Peyton Smit and a solo home run by senior center fielder Nicolette Udell.

[ Photos: Rock Falls vs Forreston softball ]

Rock Falls (3-2) fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning when Forreston senior utility Jenna Greenfield ripped an RBI single. But the Rockets didn’t stay down for long.

Freshman pitcher Zoey Silva struck out senior infielder Nevaeh Houston for the third out, and the Rockets followed with a three-run inning in the bottom of the first.

“I think Zoey did really good. She pitched a really good game,” Smit said. “Not many hits were hit off of her, and if they were, they were played really well. I think [our defense] was really good today. We didn’t drop as many balls as we normally do.”

Junior infielder Jeslyn Krueger singled on an 0-2 count as the leadoff hitter to ignite the first-inning rally. She then stole second, took third base on an error and came home on another error to tie the game 1-1. Senior catcher Olivia Osborne and Udell followed with singles, junior infielder Maddison Morgan was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Smit singled to score a second run before an error brought in the third.

“It definitely sets the tone a great deal because that first inning, when you start it off, it’s just hard to stop because your energy is so up,” Udell said about scoring three runs right away. “I don’t think our energy could’ve gone down. We were ready to play because we normally don’t start off with that many runs.”

Silva struck out the side in the top of the second inning. In the bottom of the second, Osborne roped an RBI single to second for a 4-1 lead.

Forreston cut the deficit to two runs in the top of the third when senior outfielder Ayla Kiper’s sacrifice bunt scored outfielder McKenna Rummel.

But Rock Falls broke the game open with a six-run third inning and kept the bats going in the fourth.

Smit crushed the two-run home run to left field to start things off in the third, then Silva, senior catcher/infielder Emma Skinner and freshman utility Kaltrina Lecaj each scored on wild pitches for a 10-2 lead.

“We feed off of each other a lot. As you can tell, we do a lot of cheering,” Udell said. “It honestly helps, even if it’s just loud and it’s nothing, if you’re just yelling, it gives you that confidence, like, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve got my team. I can step up.’ It just makes you more comfortable.”

The Rockets tacked on seven more runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Udell delivered a solo shot to center field as the leadoff, junior utility Abi Skibinskie followed with a two-run single, Osborne drew a bases-loaded walk and sophomore infielder Ari Reyna smacked an RBI single to stretch the lead to 15-2.

After a Udell flyout, Morgan drew a bases-loaded walk before freshman utility Korah Hosler hammered a walk-off single.

“If somebody strikes out or if somebody gets a hit and they come in the dugout, they explain how the pitcher is,” Smit said about how her teammates help each other. “If she’s slow. If she’s fast. If she’s accurate. Where she throws.”

Udell finished 3 for 4 with a solo home run, and Smit went 2 for 2 with three RBIs, including the two-run home run. Osborne and Krueger added two hits each. Osborne had three RBIs.

Silva pitched all four innings for the win, allowing two earned runs on three hits and striking out seven with three walks.

Senior utility Bailey Sterling went 2 for 2 with an RBI to lead Forreston at the plate.