After making all defensive plays, Burlington Central’s Mei Shirokawa shows perfect timing at plate. ‘Move on.’

The stolen base was the 15th of the season for Shirokawa. It also was a second walk-off hit of Covey’s career.

“My freshman year, I had a game-winning bunt actually,” Covey said. “I hadn’t had one since.”

Shirokawa, meanwhile, was a demon on defense, recording four assists on routine-to-difficult grounders and an acrobatic layout for a diving catch of a line drive.

In the sixth, she played a part in the defensive play of the game on one of Robinson’s singles headed to the left-center gap.

Junior left fielder Mia Lindquist cut it off and threw to Shirokawa, who spun and fired home to Gianna Miceli. The sophomore catcher tagged out LeBlanc trying to score from second.

“I know I made a low throw, so I’m really glad ‘G’ made that tag on the girl,” Shirokawa said of Miceli. “I had a perfect throw from Mia.”

Covey and Shirokawa have often been paired in the middle of the infield since both made varsity as freshmen.

“I love having her out there,” said Covey, who moves to short when Shirokawa occasionally catches. “She’s very energetic, positive all the time. It’s been fun.”

First-year Burlington Central coach Jason Edwards, who has coached junior varsity teams at Montini and Kaneland as well as travel teams, marvels at Shirokawa on defense and offense.

“She makes plays I’ve never seen in my eight years of coaching,” Edwards said. “She’s gifted, making plays left and right where you turn your head and say, ‘How did that even happen?’

“It’s great.”

At the plate, Shirokawa has a .468 batting average with 37 hits this season, having already topped 100 hits for her career.

“She’s one of the most impressive players I’ve had the privilege to coach,” Edwards said. “It goes back to her work ethic. She takes it so seriously and it rubs off on the rest of these kids, too.”