The future for Brynn Woods is definitely bright, but the present is looking pretty good, too.

The freshman pitcher entered tryouts with first-year coach Madison Mikos uncertain about her status for Kaneland. Woods thought she might make the team but wasn’t sure.

“I wasn’t expecting to be on varsity, so while I was waiting to find out, I just kept faith in myself,” she said. “If I made it, great. If not, it’s fine, too. I thought I’d just try to prove myself next year.”

There was no need to worry.

Woods set the tone again Wednesday, throwing a complete game for the Knights in a 6-1 victory over the host Rockets in a Class 3A Burlington Central Regional semifinal.

The right-hander struck out 12 and scattered five hits at windy Rocket Hill as fourth-seeded Kaneland (14-16) knocked off seventh-seeded Burlington Central (9-21).

“All four of my pitchers have different strengths,” Mikos said. “Brynn has definitely fulfilled that No. 1 spot moving into the postseason. We’ve been really impressed.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how the rest of the postseason goes.”

It will start with a return trip to Burlington Central. Kaneland plays at 10 a.m. Saturday for the regional title against top-seeded Harvard (11-11), which pasted Woodstock 19-1 in its Tuesday semifinal.

First things first, though. And the Rockets found themselves staring at a 5-0 deficit after three innings Wednesday.

Junior designated player Breanne Crosby led off the second inning for the Knights by reaching on an infield error, moving up on a wild pitch and then stealing third. She scored on a two-out RBI double from Isabelle Stombres.

Two batters later, Gabriella Gonzalez had a two-run single for a 3-0 lead.

Kailey Plank, a Winona State recruit who had two of Kaneland’s eight hits, then started the third with a double. Crosby added insurance with a drive to left-center that rode the wind over the fence.

However, it was hit well enough to have gone out on any day.

“It was a little outside,” Crosby said. “I was just like, ‘I’m going for it.’ I was in a slump for a while, and I got to the point I see every pitch and if it’s close enough, I just swing.

“I’m proud of myself for how far I’ve come.”

It was her fifth home run of the season.

“Breanne has been killing it, doing great,” Mikos said. “Her bat has really been heating up.”

The rest was up to Woods, who added two hits.

She was working with senior Emily Olp, who’s in her third varsity season. Olp has settled in at catcher for the Knights after starting at second base as a sophomore and primarily at third base last spring.

The Beacon-News

Twice-weekly

See also  Large NFL contingent in Boulder as Caleb Williams and No. 8 USC take on Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

News updates from the Aurora area delivered every Monday and Wednesday

“This is just the third game she’s thrown to me,” Olp said of Woods. “I think she’s really good at off-speed pitches and I’ve learned to catch them pretty well, hopefully framing them nicely so they’re called strikes.”

Woods, who threw 86 pitches, was cruising until Lana Garrett led off the fifth with a double over the center fielder’s head, followed by a line drive single to center from Kayla Covey.

Mikos sent her assistant coach to the circle to confer with her battery and break Burlington Central’s momentum.

“We’ve learned to try to have fun on those mound visits, stress playing the right way and trying to calm the girls down,” Mikos said. “I didn’t warm anybody up because I didn’t feel like we needed to at that time.”

The Rockets’ lone run scored on a groundout, but Woods retired the next two batters and followed by striking out the side in the seventh.

She said she wasn’t worried.

“I don’t try to get into my head when I’m pitching,” Woods said. “I like to think I’m chill on the mound and nothing really rattles me too much. I believe in myself.”