ROCKFORD — Freshman Emma Heller struck out 14 batters while walking only one over seven and one-third innings as the Rochelle Lady Hub varsity softball team went into extra innings during its nonconference game against Rockford Lutheran on Friday evening.

Playing without standout junior Lauren Dyer, Rochelle remained tied with Rockford Lutheran at 1-1 after seven innings. Despite taking the lead with one run in the top of the eighth inning, the Lady Hubs were unable to hold on, as the Crusaders tallied two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and scored the deciding run on an error to edge Rochelle 3-2. The Lady Hubs (4-8, 0-4 Interstate 8) will return to the diamond with an Interstate 8 game at Morris on Monday evening.

Rochelle broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning, where freshman Briel Metzger sent a one-out single into left field and scored on an RBI single from sophomore Madigan Williams two batters later. Rockford Lutheran tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring after Samantha Spangler reached on an error and touched home on Courtney Troutt’s RBI single.

Heller recorded two strikeouts from the pitcher’s circle in the bottom of the seventh inning to help the Lady Hubs send the game into extra innings. Rochelle followed with three singles in the top of the eighth inning, where Heller helped her own cause by driving home Williams to give Rochelle a 2-1 lead. Spangler and Troutt both scored in the bottom of the eighth inning, though, as Spangler hit a one-out single before three straight Rochelle errors led to two unearned runs.