Racers from all over compete in the DePue Boat Races

ABOVE: Ethan Fox (back) of Elkhorn, Nebraska, and Joesph Perez of Spring Valley compete in the 125 Runabouts during the DePue Boat Races on Friday at Lake DePue. There was an hour and 20-minute delay for technical issues with the clock, but races resumed mid-afternoon. ABOVE RIGHT: Antique boat motors are on display Friday at the Boat Races in DePue. RIGHT: Racers prepare their boats in the pits before racing Friday at Lake DePue. See Kevin Chlum’s opening day report at bcrnews.com.

• SOFTBALL

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In the fourth, Spring Valley allowed its lone run of the tournament when Maeve Nolan walked and Meredith McKeown and Maura Maloney hit back-to-back singles. Pellegrini limited the damage with back-to-back strikeouts.

“I just pitched as hard as I could and I tried not to throw any crazy pitches to let them score,” Pellegrini said. “I was just relying on my catcher.”

Pellegrini walked the leadoff hitter in the fifth, but Verucchi threw her out trying to steal second before Pellegrini got a groundout and a strikeout.

She struck out all three batters she faced in the sixth, finishing the district and state tournaments with 131 strikeouts in 161 batters faced.

“I really just had to focus on my spots,” Pellegrini said. “When people are yelling and screaming, I just have to try to block everything out. It can be hard sometimes, but I have to rely on my teammates to back me up.”

Spring Valley added an insurance run in the fifth when Isabella Caracheo and Verucchi walked to start the inning before Fusinetti moved them over with a groundout to first base and Pellegrini drove in her second run of the game with a groundout to second base.

“It feels really good,” Brynn Pellegrini said. “We worked really hard for it. We put a lot of heart and dedication into it. It was all a team effort.”

LEFT: Members of the Spring Valley 8- to 10-year-old softball team pose for a photo after defeating Evergreen Park in the Minor League Softball State title game on Thursday at St. Mary’s Park in La Salle. BELOW LEFT: Spring Valley’s Brynn Pellegrini hugs catcher Vivi Verucchi after winning the Minor League Softball State title Thursday at St. Mary’s Park in La Salle. BELOW: Evergreen Park’s Maura Maloney slides into second base as Spring Valley’s Callie Fusinetti misses the throw in the Minor League Softball State title game Thursday at St. Mary’s Park in La Salle.