Gordon's big day lifts Huntley past Sabres

Huntley baseball coach Andy Jakubowski predicted prior to the season that every player in his lineup could inflict damage -- one through nine.

Hitter No. 9 made his coach look like Carnac the Magnificent on Wednesday.

Junior Jimmy Gordon, Huntley's second-year catcher, drove in 3 runs from the ninth spot in the batting order and senior pitcher Nate Prokuski struck out 9 on 99 pitches in 6 innings of work to lead the Red Raiders to a 4-2 nonconference victory over visiting Streamwood.

"I had been struggling, so it was good to get a couple of hits," Gordon said

Gordon put the Red Raiders (2-1) ahead 1-0 in the second inning against Streamwood starting pitcher Mike Diebold with a flyball toward left that was caught in foul territory. Tagging and scoring on the play was junior Zach Liebman, who led off the inning with a sharp single to left-center field.

The Sabres (0-1), who had not so much as practiced once outdoors this spring due to wet field conditions, rallied for 2 runs in the third inning to take the lead.

With runners at first and second and two away, Streamwood cleanup hitter Matt Korntved lined a single to left center, scoring Brian Bennett, who led off the inning with a walk.

Senior Rob Barth followed with another solidly struck single that plated junior Ryan Kiesel, who had reached on a fielder's choice.

"I was leaving the ball up," Prokuski said. "Those were just fastballs."

After Prokuski surrendered a third straight single to Jason Overton -- the only 3 hits Streamwood would manage all day -- he left the bases packed with Sabres by inducing a groundball to second base to end the inning.

Huntley regained the lead in the fourth when Gordon's flyball with the bases loaded glanced off the Streamwood left fielder's mitt, allowing 2 runs to score.

Huntley added an insurance run in the sixth when Gordon singled home senior Eliot Swiatly, who signed a Letter of Intent this week to play at Ashford University.

Closer Jeremy Grap then retired the Sabres in order, including 2 strikeouts, to earn the save.

Despite the loss, the Sabres walked away encouraged.

"I think we did a lot of good things even though we had a few errors," said Streamwood coach Steve Diversey, the former Huntley field boss. "It was promising. We're young. I thought we competed. I think we have room to improve, which is nice."