ROCHELLE — A sixth-inning surge propelled the Rochelle Little League 12U Baseball All-Stars to a first-round victory over Rock Falls in the Illinois Little League District 19 Championship tournament. After five scoreless frames to start the matchup, Rochelle rallied for four runs in the top of the sixth inning before shutting Rock Falls down in the bottom half to win 4-0.

Johnny Chadwick turned in a magnificent performance on the pitcher’s mound for Rochelle, throwing a complete game while striking out 15 batters and allowing only two hits. Connor Hunley singled and recorded two RBIs, while Andrew Eyster added one RBI. Four players scored at least once including Hunley, Trenton Cunningham, Graham Hall and Bobby Tourdot.

Chadwick drew a walk for the Rochelle offense in the first inning, but was stranded on base. Rock Falls tripled and reached on a hit-by-pitch in the bottom half before Chadwick escaped the jam with a strikeout. Warren Schweitzer walked for Rochelle in the second inning, but an inning-ending double play on a strikeout and a batter’s interference call ended the threat.

Andrew Huerta reached on an error in the top of the fourth inning, while Schweitzer and Tourdot both drew walks to load the bases. But a clutch strikeout from Rock Falls left three Rochelle runners on base. Eyster walked in the fifth inning before a strikeout ended the frame.

Cunningham and Hall began Rochelle’s sixth-inning rally with back-to-back walks to put two runners on base. Tourdot walked to load the bases for Hunley, who delivered a two-RBI single to left field for Rochelle’s first hit of the game. Cunningham and Hall scored to give Rochelle a 2-0 lead before Rochelle loaded the bases a second time on a single from Angel Argueta. Eyster drew a bases-loaded walk to put Rochelle up 3-0 before Hunley scored on a wild pitch.